Never Too Late
by Autumn Letter
Summary: After a long 7 month solo mission, Sakura comes home hearing news about a certain Uchiha who had returned to the village... she vows that things are going to be different from now on.
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: After a long 7 month solo mission, Sakura comes home hearing news about a certain Uchiha who had returned to the village... she vows that things are going to be different from now on._

**AN**: Hi! First of all, I haven't written a story in sooo long and I just missed writing so much. So this time around, I chose Sakura as the protagonist and I made her strong. No more of that sissy, pansy stuff lol. A little support is all i need to keep up this story. So let's make a deal k? You review and I keep writing hahaha. Enjoy!

**Never Too Late**

She wiped the sweat off her brow and sighed with satisfaction at the scenery in front of her. The branch underneath her feet supported her petite figure and a nice warm breeze swept past her, brushing the fringes of her pink strands across her forehead. She stared off at the village before her; it had been too long. It was even bigger than she remembered it to be. 2 years ago, Konoha was struck by a deadly attack from Pain which left the entire village in rubble and debris, but now Konoha had blossomed into a bustling metropolis, bursting with power and prosperity.

She smiled wryly to herself, closing the space between her and her beloved village. Her feet hurdled from branch to branch until she gracefully landed on the dirt path leading up to the main gate.

It really had been too long.

There was no one to greet her at the gate. She maintained a quiet, stealthy return and remembered her duties to report back to Tsunade and then get checked up at the hospital.

Sakura, at the ripe age of 18, was now a stunning kunoichi who surpassed all expectations. She was the most saught after medical ninja and her name was known through out the village. Her emerald eyes sparkled under thick black lashes and her lips were a deep rosy pink. The pastel strands were now past her shoulders, gleaming in the sunlight has she hastily made her way to her master's office.

She was no longer the weak little who girl was was constantly protected by her teammates. She no longer let her tears get the better of her. That was a different time. It was different now. Everything about her was different.

Raising her fist to the mahogany-coloured door, Sakura couldn't help but chuckle at herself. Years of concentration and hardwork was reflected in her last mission. And when Tsunade would see her appear before her without a single scratch, it would really mean something.

The mission itself wasn't an easy one either. She spent the entire 7 months in a warzone, covered up to her neck in blood and sweat, healing the wounded and teaching all there was about medicine and healing. The battlefield had dyed her hands red for the first 4 months of her mission; it was a bloody, gorey experience.

_knock, knock.._

"Come in!" Came the immediate reply.

Sakura turned the handle and stepped in. "Tsunade-sama..."

There was silence for a good 4 seconds.

"Sakura..."

Sakura watched her master's surprised face shift to a confident smile.

"Welcome back."

Sakura closed her eyes for a second but fatigue came out victorious in her fight to stay conscious. When she awoke, the only thing heard was the soft beeping of the heart monitor. Hours before, the nurse had hooked her up to an IV and monitored her pulse to see if her body was in tip-top shape. And indeed, she was absolutely fine.

The sun was setting which casted the entire room in a soft orange glow.

It had been months since she'd seen Naruto and she missed him. At this point in her life, he was her home and she loved him dearly like a little brother. If something would have happened to him, if he was suddenly struck down, dead, she would probably just lay down beside him and wait for death to take her too. (But not until she tried reviving him first, of course.)

Sakura swung her legs over the side of the bed and pondered a little. When she reported back to Tsunade, she was informed that Naruto was out on a mission and that he would be back tonight. So Sakura made up her mind to go see him. Maybe they would go have some ramen at Ichiraku's or catch a late night movie. Anything. She just missed him so much. But there was something else that Tsunade hinted about and she couldn't quite understand what her master was talking about. She remembered that kind of cocky smile that Tsunade had, it danced on her conscience and she couldn't sit still thinking about it.

There was a knock at the door and without looking up she quietly said, "Come in," thinking that it was the nurse again.

She heard the door slide open and then shut again. "Sakura, you're finally back."

In a bit of a shock Sakura examined her visitor. He had dark, almost pitch black silky hair. His eyes reflected the same colour and his skin was pale.

"Sa-"

He smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked, eyes wide with curiousity.

"To check up on you, I just heard from the Hokage that you returned."

"Oh," she smiled, "thanks, Sai."

"Naruto just returned aswell and he's only in the next room getting treated for his injurie-"

"He's hurt?" Sakura stood up.

"Oh, he's fine. Just a few scratches here and there, but he's our Naruto. Nothing can stop him. By the way, have you heard about-"

She chuckled cutting him off mid-sentence, "Right. C'mon let's go surprise him."

Sakura had already left the room and left Sai standing, clutching a book in his hands. Suddenly, her pink head peeked in from the hallway.

"Um, which room is Naruto in? Heheh..."

* * *

"SAKURA!"

"Hey, take it easy. Don't stress yourself out, you've just gotten back."

His bright personality lit up the room in an instant.

"I've missed you so much Sakura!"

She sat down on the edge of his bed and smoothed his blonde hair back in a motherly gesture. "I've missed you too." And she planted a soft kiss on his forhead.

"Oi! Sakura, you've heard about it haven't you?" Naruto said, with a devilish grin.

"Heard about what-"

"Woo, he's such a prick, I swear, one more smug comment out of him and I would have kick his ass to the moon!"

"Naruto!" Sakura giggled, "Who are you talking about?"

The door slid open and the head nurse walked in. "Naruto~" She cooed, "time for your shot!"

Naruto froze and attempted to hide behind Sakura, "Nonononono! Ahhhh, Sakura save me!"

She laughed and stood up, "I'll come back and visit you tomorrow morning, okay? Bye-bye!" As she left and closed the door behind her, there were still muffled cries coming from the room and she just couldn't help but giggle.

Tsunade promised her an entire week off since she had just returned from a drawn out mission. And already her mind started conjuring up what to do in her free time.

"What to do, what to do..." She mumbled, walking down a quiet street with nothing but lamp posts to light her path. She kicked a pebble and watched it roll out of her way.

...And who was Naruto talking about?

* * *

R&R please!

So basically, this was just an introduction to the current team seven that i had set up, but of course that will change a bit later, so please bare with me! hehe...

thanks for reading, it will get interesting soon! promise!


	2. Chapter 2

**Never Too Late**

The sunlight from her apartment window made warm patches of light on her bed. Sakura awoke to the soft chirping of the birds on her window sill and sat up quietly, slightly confused to wake up in her apartment rather than a dusty old shack of which she spent the last 7 months. It was... nice.

In the shower she felt the warm bubbles cascade over her skin. It was so simple, and yet spending so much time watching death and suffering really made you appreciate such delicate, minor details.

After drying herself off, Sakura glanced at her closet and decided that she didn't need to wear her combat clothes, it was her time off anyway.

"What to wear..." She mumbled, rummaging through her closet. "Hmm..."

In the back of her closet, she found a simple red kimono. It had small embroideries at the bottom of its length and it stopped above her knees. Her mother had given it to her before her mission and she never had a chance to wear it.

Putting it on, she wrapped the material around her body, it was like a silk embrace that hugged her. The band around her torso slimmed her and accentuated her curves. Then she slipped on her knee-high boots and left her strands in a relaxed easy do.

Sakura really was beautiful, on the inside and out.

* * *

"Ah, Sakura... you look really pretty today."

"Thanks Naruto, how are you feeling?"

The blonde was already up getting ready to leave. He had been discharged earlier before Sakura's arrival at the hospital.

"Me? I've never felt so alive in my life! You're back, he's back... and I-" He was inturrupted by the sound of his stomach growling. "I'm hungry..."

Sakura giggled, "I guess I came prepared then." She put the bag on the night stand next to Naruto's bed. "I got some morning take-out for you. Eat up!"

"Ahhhhh~ you're the best, Sakura!" And he began chowing down, "Don't you want some?"

"It's okay Naruto, I've already eaten."

_knock, knock.._

"Come in," they both said in unison with out looking up.

Sakura had her back to the door and Naruto was the first to greet the person. "Hey douche. They're no old ladies or children for you to terrorize in here."

"Shut up, dobe."

That voice sent shivers down her spine. The last time she had heard it was when he attacked them, months, maybe years ago. It triggered her to grab a hidden kunai from her thigh and hold it in front of her as a defensive gesture.

Naruto dropped his chopsticks. "Whoa, Sakura-"

"Sasuke!" she hissed.

And there he was. Her ex-teammate. The one who abandond and betrayed her, Naruto and the entire village. What the hell was he doing, standing there so casually?

"Naruto," she snapped, "Am I missing something?"

"Oh, so you really didn't know?" Naruto scratched his head. "He's been back for months already."

"What?"

"You were gone on your mission for so long and there was no way of letting you know. Hah..." Naruto chucked, "this really was a surprise."

She continued to stare at him, her emerald eyes blazing. But she couldn't help thinking that he had gotten incredibly more handsome. He was the same, essentially, just a bit more buff and mature looking. The eyes were less... heavy, you could say. And his smirk...

"Oi, Sasuke. Isn't Sakura hot now?"

"Naruto!" She snapped and punched him.

"Owwww!"

"Sasuke," She said, looking for words to say.

He looked at her.

Searching, searching...

There were no words.

"Heh.." She laughed embarrassingly, "Nevermind, but uh, welcome back."

He nodded, "you too."

There was something about Uchiha Sasuke that didn't quite float her boat. As glad as she was that he had returned, there was something in her that made her not entirely at ease.

She had been quiet the whole way, walking with the two boys. They were bickering as usual.

"I'm hungry!" Naruto announced.

"Pft, you _just_ ate." Sasuke spat.

"So what! I need to eat a lot to keep up my strength!"

"What strength?-"

"The strength that brought you back home, bitch."

"Hah, it was on a whim that I decided to come back. You had nothing to do with it."

"I hardly believe that..."

Sakura started to trail behind, lost in her thoughts, until the two boys stopped abruptly and watched as she walked herself into Naruto's back.

"Something the matter, Sakura?" Naruto said, worry hinted in his voice.

"Huh? Oh nothing! I was just thinking... don't worry about me."

"Whatever you say."

The Uchiha casually turned his attention back to Naruto as they walked. It had been almost an hour since the 3 of them had been together and Sakura didn't touch him once, hadn't thrown herself at him like she would have years ago. She barely said anything to him and he thought it was quite unusual.

"Sakura," he said, while Naruto went off to chase a squirrel that stole his dumpling.

"Hm?"

"You seem uneasy."

She looked at him, then at her tea and then him again and smiled. "It's nothing, Sasuke."

"Hn."

"...But if you don't mind me asking." Her eyes darted around the small tea hut, looking for something to focus on.

"What is it."

"I heard you managed to... um. Your brother-"

"Yeah, I killed him."

She flinched at the abruptness of his answer.

"Oh."

Sasuke kept his cool, slowly picking up the cup and blowing on the surface of the liquid to cool it. She watched as he slowly put his lips to the rim of the cup.

"So, your here permanently, right?"

Sasuke swallowed the tea and she watched, imagining the liquid flow from his mouth down his throat; the slight raise of his Adams apple as the tea flowed down. Then after, a quiet 'ah' was released from his mouth.

"We'll see," he said.

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke could tell she wasn't happy with his answer. But at the same time she thought: why should she care anyway. He abandoned her after leaving her on a park bench. The disappointment she felt after she had awoken and he was gone, it hurt. He had only one goal, and it was to kill his brother, and he had made that pretty damn clear to everyone. Now since that was done, what else did he want? What else was there for him to just pack up to leave for?

She was bitter about him leaving and causing the village so much pain for him to just pop back into their lives like nothing happened. Made sense, right? He caused destruction, and put Naruto and her through so much grief. For him to come and go like it was just another stop in his journey.

"I mean," he started, "I might have to take care of some unfinished business."

Sakura looked down at her tea. "Right." She said, almost mockingly._ Always unfinished business._

"Right," he repeated.

* * *

R&R pl0x! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Never Too Late**

.

It had been a 2 weeks since her return and yet it still seemed that Sakura's presence was lacking in the village.

She sat there in Tsunade's large office-library, reading books that were probably heavier than she was. Despite it being her 'time-off' Sakura didn't think it was right to just sit around and do nothing. So she studied and studied and learned and practised. Her determination got the better of her and she'd study late into the night. When sleep caused her a heavy head she'd wake up and continue right where she left off. There was no giving up for this young kunoichi, for she knew she had what it took to be one of the best, and that confidence was her style.

She hadn't seen Sasuke at all and saw Naruto occasionally in the street. They'd talk for a minute or two until Sakura would claim she had somewhere to go. But Naruto would say (with a pouty face), "Sakura... we're not strangers having brief conversations in an elevator, come eat with me and Sasuke." She'd bat that possibility away and of course that meant back into the office to learn a new jutsu or something.

"Sakura...!" Naruto would whine again, "take some stress off and let's go fishing by the river."

Her stress reliever was studying; it had become a ritual by now. She had spent countless nights over the years cooped up in that library reading, books after books. It was her getaway from reality. The reality of Sasuke betraying them. The reality that Naruto left for years to train.

And she hadn't gone anywhere. There were no stories for her to tell, there was nothing within her that sparked interest. She couldn't help but feel utterly useless in the face of her two comrades.

Sure, she was strong _now_, but it took a hell of a lot of determination to rid herself of her own mental abuse.

"Don't say that..." Lee had said one time, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You're Konoha's number one medic, you're beautiful, smart, caring, and young! Just because you haven't gone anywhere doesn't mean you haven't done anything. Anyway, the village needs you here. The village needs your youth!"

She laughed lightly at the memory.

Then two weeks later, she was assigned that 7 month mission, and left Konoha with a strong mind and the determination to make an impact somewhere.

Right now she was lingering between the stages of sleep and consciousness. Tsunade kicked at her chair and Sakura's head flung up from the table.

"Oh!" Sakura said in shock, "I must have dozed off."

The Hokage stood there, arms crossed at her chest and didn't utter a word.

"Tsunade-sama...?"

"How long have you been here?" Tsunade exclaimed.

"Since yesterday," Sakura's voice quieted at the next part,"...morning."

Tsunade rolled her eyes and sighed, "Sakura, you can't keep locking yourself up in here. I think by now, you've absorbed all the information from all the books in this room."

"Not yet!" Sakura debated, "I still have-"

"Go out with your friends. Have fun, Sakura." Tsunade's voice was sweeter now, "You've already done so much for this village."

A small modest chuckle escaped Sakura's lips, "Ah, fine. I'll go in the morning. By the way, Tsunade-sama, what are you doing here so late at night?"  
The Hokage simply strutted to the window and pulled the curtains out of the way letting the sunlight come gushing in. It burned Sakura's eyes in an instant.

"It's already morning!" Tsunade announced, "So I'm giving you 3 seconds to pack up and leave!"

Sakura, doing exactly what her master ordered her to do out of fear, packed her items and left in an instant. She quickly got home, showered and put on another nice kimono her mother had gotten her. Soon she was out in the market doing some shopping. For a girl, there was nothing more addictive than the feeling of buying new things. And Sakura was no exception. She browsed up and down the streets, buying new clothes, make up.. anything. She hadn't used any of the money she had earned from the mission yet so there was a lot to spend.

"What a pretty mirror..." Sakura said aloud, admiring the intricate design and jewel encrusted exterior.

The store keeper came by Sakura, "it's an antique, they say it once belonged to a princess back in the middle ages."

"Really?" She picked it up and studied herself in the reflection: perfect glowing skin with a subtle natural blush, bright emerald eyes, and rosey pouty lips. Sakura ran her fingers through her silky strands to add some volume to her hair.

"I'll be at the counter if you need anything," the store keeper said.

"Alright thanks."

Sakura examined the mirror in all different angles. When she peered into it again, she noticed in the reflection, a particular figure in the crowds of people. "Sasuke!" She almost dropped the mirror. There was something in her that made her want to hide from him, so she put the mirror down carefully and ran in the opposite direction... or so she thought. As she sped past people, Sakura looked back to see if he was still there and he wasn't. He was right in front of her. And she ran right into the hardness of his chest, dropping her bags onto the ground.

Little did she realize, to prevent her from falling over, the Uchiha quickly caught her frame and pulled her tightly into his chest as a reflex.

"Sasuke...!" She exclaimed.

He simply looked down at her and released his grip. He bent down to pick up her stuff and gave it to her. Sakura sighed, embarrassed by her actions, "thanks."

They both knew they were entitled to more than just an awkward run-in and shaky hello. So they both stood there, not quite finding the right words to say.

"Are you on your way somewhere?" Sakura started.

"If you're asking for date, then don't bother." He said rather quickly.

_Well, excuse me..._

Sakura, feeling awfully offended by him held back the will to kick him where it really hurt. She wasn't so thrilled about running into him either.

"I wasn't. _Actually_. Have a nice day." And with that said, she spun on her heel and began to walk away. Her voids were being filled with hot air, ready to burst.

_Seriously._

"Wait..." he called. She stopped without turning to face him. "I'm on my way to meet Naruto. Do you want to come?"

Sakura thought about it: the idea of seeing Naruto was nice, but Sasuke...

"Just come," he said. He could see she was having an internal debate,"the dobe's been dying to see you. He thinks your avoiding him."

"I've just been busy."

"With what?"

"Stuff."

Sasuke scoffed. "Thanks for that piece of exciting news," he said sarcastically.

She stared at him, unable to decipher his character. He stood a head taller than her and felt his height advantage over her. That same handsome face looked back at her, his expression slowly turning into a subtle smirk.

She couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Let's go."

They began walking and he noticed as Sakura uncomfortably switched the bags from one hand to the other.

"Is it heavy?" he asked.

"Uh, n..no," she said failing to mask her discomfort. He snatched the bags out of her hand and she looked at him puzzled.

"I'll hold it for you."

"Oh, thanks... Sasuke."

There was silence as they continued to walk admiring the nice warm sunny weather. Sasuke slightly turned to her direction and cleared his throat before speaking, "you look... different." Those words sparked Sakura to look up at him with curiousity. He continued, "but not in a bad way."

She could have sworn pigs were flying with that comment said.

"Thanks," she said again and smiled sweetly at him but deep down inside, she was very, very confused.

She had to give him props for trying, right? It's not like Orochimaru taught him the art of sweet talking a lady while he was away training.

She giggled softly, "you look good too, Sasuke."

* * *

Here it is for now! Sasuke seems nice at the moment, but don't worry he's still going to be that hot asshole jerk we all love ;) This chapter was kind of a linking one to the next so there wasnt a lot going but just bear with me for now k

Read and review please, thanks a lot :)


	4. Chapter 4

So with this chapter, i kinda switched gears and took a dramatic twist. you'll see. but through out the story, it will help with plot and such. enjoy! :)

* * *

** Never Too Late**

.

"You've been unusually quiet lately, Sakura. What's up?" Naruto finished his bowl of ramen and ordered his fifth.

Sakura smiled genuinely. "Trust me when I say I'm fine, Naruto. I've just been kind of busy for the last couple of days."

The comment gained a '_pft_' from Sasuke who sat on Naruto's other side. Sakura smirked, "Care to elaborate on that, Sasuke?"

"Don't kid youself," he stated, "you've been avoiding me for days. Don't think I haven't noticed."

"Why, leave it to the Uchiha to assume everything's about him," Naruto laughed.

"What was that, teme?"

Naruto leaned to Sakura and playfully nudged her with his elbow, "Ever since he's gotten back he's been bossing me around and acting like a spoiled princess: _'Naruto, come train with me!' "Naruto, you smell, go shower!' 'Naruto, come hold my hand while I pee!_' Naruto said in a mockingly high voice.

Sakura bursted out laughing. The sound was familiar, and Naruto thought it should always be like this. Like a family.

"You're asking for a one way ticket straight to hell, dobe."

"Try me."

After lunch at Ichiraku's, the three of them walked to their old training ground. It certainly was nostalgic. The skies were the same and the lingering scent of spring wafted around their noses.

"Naruto, come train with me."

Even on a full stomach Naruto never turned down an offer from Sasuke. "Sakura, come and show him how strong you've gotten!" Naruto turned to Sasuke, "She got really good. Just warning you in case you ever piss her off... which I think will be soon."

As they ran foreward onto the the field, they didn't see her lose her footing and trip over a dirt patch. Her fatigue was now catching up to her so she knew she had to sit down and relax. In the shade from the sun, Sakura took a seat on the highest hill, under a giant cherry blossom tree. It gave an excellent view over Naruto and Sasuke's fight. She smiled softly to herself; she had already accepted the fact that Sasuke was... and she'll admit it, he was kind of a douche. But when it meant protecting her, she knew he would be there. And Naruto. He was such a sweetheart.

Already she started to feel the uneasiness of Sasuke's presence just lift away. And she was willing to accept him back. With that thought established, Sakura closed her eyes and started to drift off into a nap, not knowing the sadness that was to meet her that very night.

* * *

That night Sakura was crossing the border into the land of Key.

Earlier in the day, Tsunade had sent someone to appear in front of Sakura as she slept under the tree. The shinobi relayed a message from Tsunade about an urgent solo-mission to the Land of Key and she was supposed to leave that night.

The deal was to deliver many medical scrolls to a small institute without exposing herself to anyone. And thats why she was assigned. Sakura was flawless when it came to secret missions. She would have gotten the mission done by the morning.

By now it was 2:30am and she left at 10 pm. Already, the mission was finished successfully and she was on her way home.

Gliding through trees, she stayed alert watching for anything unusal.

But suddenly, she stopped. Peering through the forest, Sakura planted her feet on a branch and scanned the area.

_Why do I feel mom's chakra..._ she thought.

And immediately she followed her instinct and headed east instead of west to Konoha.

_Nononono... please... no!_

Her heart started beating at a rapid pace. Her parents Sayuri and Masaru Haruno were away on a mission aswell. Sakura just thought it was weird, considering she could feel their chakra a little ways away. They shouldn't be close at all. Why were they so off course?

Suddenly the feeling of mother's charkra started to fade and Sakura started to panic. "Mom...!" Sakura had landed on the ground and started running with two kunais in her hands, behind her.

She tripped and fell.

"Ah..!" She grunted. What was it that she tripped over? The forest was dark so she used her senses to gather information. Whatever it was, it was a soft pile. Maybe even wet. She got up quickly, now looking back.

It was a body.

In surprise, Sakura put both hands to her face and realized she had blood on her hands.

_What's going on...?_

Slowly she walked, taking steps towards the body and examining it.

"Sakura, is that.. is that you...?" Mumbled a voice from behind her. She whipped around and her father stood before her, injured and bleeding. "Dad! Where's mom!" She ran to her father but he dropped to the ground before she had gotten to him. "Dad!"

He grunted in pain and she began healing him, forcing the green glow around her hands to activate. "Can you hear me? What's going on!"

Sakura tried to be strong but already the fear and panic started to show up in her tears.

"Stop," her father ordered, grabbing her small wrist, "Your mother, heal her first..."

Sakura realized the body she tripped over was her own mother. Sakura had already examined her father's condition and if he didn't get treatment now, he would surely die. "But dad...!"

"Your mother!"

She got up and the ground started to shake beneath her. Sakura pulled out a kunai and stood in defense mode. The ground began to crack and a huge explosion erupted from behind her. The body flew up in the explosion ripping the body into pieces. Blood splattered everywhere, dying her pale skin blood red. "MOM!" Sakura threw a kunai into the dust of smoke and followed immediately after.

Sakura began to sob. Something like this wasn't supposed to happen to her. It just wasn't. It wasn't fair.

Whatever foe she was up against must have been incredibly strong for if it took down her parents, she was going to have to expect a big, difficult fight.

"Show yourself! I'll kill you!" Sakura screamed to the unknown. There was an audible laughter by her ear and she summoned all the chakra to her fist and threw a punch. "I'll kill you!" She repeated, anger claiming her senses.

In the corner of her eye she noticed a shadow and charged towards it. Sakura took one more shot at the stranger, missing as it teleported somewhere else. She hit the ground and skid into a tree.

"Shit." She muttered. The ground continued to shake. All of a sudden, the entity was behind her and she tried to kick it, but it disappeared and the tree suffered the attack, breaking it in half.

_Fuck, I'm missing every single time!_

The entity then attacked her and she flew into another tree knocking it down. The ground all around her started exploding, and she looked over to her father's lifeless body. The explosion was getting closer and closer to him.

"Dad! DAD!" Sakura, ignoring all her injuries, ran with all her might, trying to reach her father before he was caught in the explosion. But... she was too late and she witnessed as he suffered the same fate as her mother. She became hysteric, her voice cracking through sobs.

Fire roared around her.

She was blood soaked, heart broken and at the end of the line. Her parents were dead and she watched them die. She couldn't even mutter a word. The trauma took over her body and she began to cry even harder.

It appeared behind her again and struck a sickening blow to her head. She collapsed onto the ground, her vision blurring; colours mixing: the orange of the fire, the deep red blood, and the black night sky. Sakura continued to lay there, helpless. Tears flowed endlessly as she cried silently. She couldn't move even if she tried. The enemy must have used a paralyzation jutsu and soon she succumbed to the darkness that consumed her.

* * *

R&R!


	5. Chapter 5

**Never Too Late**

.

A search squad had been released when Haruno Sakura hadn't returned for three days.

Tsunade trembled in her chair. Wrinkles were starting to show on her youthful face. "Naruto! Calm yourself-"

"How could I! Sakura's in trouble, how can I just sit still at a time like this!" The blonde pounded a fist on her desk and the stacks of paper toppled over.

"You've been out looking for her for days. Rummaging around blindly isn't going to get you anywhere. Let the Anbu do their job. They'll report soon enough. For now, I want you to help with defense in case something happens to the village."

"But-"

"Enough! I know how you feel, Naruto, but whatever happened to Sakura may cause further exposure to the village. Today is that last day for the search and there is only one more place to check, the eastern section. I need you to cooperate."

Naruto grunted, "...Fine. But if nothing is found, I'm going out there myself." He left the room, fists balled at his sides. When the door shut behind him, Sasuke was waiting outside the office. His stance up against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"So?"

"She won't let me do anything. We just have to wait." Naruto exclaimed, throwing a fist at the wall, "Sakura might be in pain or dead! We don't know. I can't stand here doing nothing!"

"Orders are orders."

"Fuck, Sasuke! You don't understand do you?" The blonde grabbed at Sasuke's shirt and pushed him up against the wall," For something like this to happen to Sakura... is like it happening to you and me. You underestimate her. She's so strong. And just because you don't care as much about her-"

He snapped, "get off me." Sasuke pushed him off and Naruto stumbled backwards. "I don't show it but I know she's capable of a lot, alright?"

The two boys hissed at each other.

"She could be dead... that's what I'm worrying about." Naruto said, "and Tsunade-sama won't let me do anything."

"I know."

"You know, but you don't understand. It's frustrating. You're not as close to her as much anymore... she loved you, Sasuke, and you break her heart. Now you're wondering why she avoids you? She's confused. She doesn't even know what to think about you anymore."

Sasuke didn't say anything.

"Let's just hope she's alive, Sasuke. Maybe then you might have a second chance to make it up to her."

* * *

Why would he have to make it up to her? He thought. The whole time, he simply went his way and it was her decision to foolishly cling on to him. Why would he have to be liable for her feelings. She brought it on herself, right?

Why did he feel so guilty then.

_Fuck._

Naruto had left him to help with the village defenses. And Sasuke was stuck, wandering aimlessly around the streets of Konoha.

But then again his time with her was valuable. Heck, there were times when he thought of them as a family. She was his mother figure, afterall, and even if he never admitted to it, he was thankful to have her around. That was something he couldn't deny. Now, his conscience was nipping at him. If she actually did turn up dead... he would be sad. He couldn't deny that either. Naruto wouldn't be the same and that would be something he didn't want to deal with.

Sasuke exhaled deeply.

Haruno Sakura had stuck by him since day one. He was well aware of her feelings towards him but as time passed and they became a team, he realized her feelings became more than just a school girl crush. She genuinely cared for both him and Naruto. And what did he do? He treated her like a useless old tool. Emotions never ran deep in this Uchiha, but he knew what was the right thing to do.

With his mind made up, he made a run for the gate and left the village. He was determind to find her.

* * *

_Please...! Please, don't!_ She screamed in between sobs._ Stop... It hurts, it hurts..._

She was in and out of consciousness. When she was awake, she suffered blinding pain. When she blackout, she was under a gruesome illusion. In the dreams, she watched her parents being murdered over and over again. Naruto and Sasuke both abandoned her in a fire. Her flesh was melting, the smell of her hair burning was sickening.

_Stop please... No more, I can't take anymore!_

"Sakura!"

She grunted.

"Sakura, wake up!"

She felt her limbs being moved by someone else, "No more..." She whispered.

"Can you hear me? Sakura!"

Her eyelids were so heavy and it took all her might to open her eyes even a little. Someone was there calling her name. The sky was bright. It was blinding. Sakura could only make out a dark silouhette of someone. The person held her, it was so warm. And then she blacked out again.

* * *

"What a disaster..." Tsunade whispered to herself while the medical team worked Sakura on the emergency room. "How could this happen?"

* * *

It had been a day since Sasuke brought her home and still there was no news about her condition.

"What did you see, Sasuke?" The blonde asked eagerly. They both stood there on the top of the hospital, the wind blowing through their hair.

"A lot. But at least she's alive." Sasuke turned around to look out over the village. The sun began to set over the horizon.

"Her parents are dead. It's going to be hard for her when she wakes up."

Sasuke didn't say anything. He could only remember the pain he felt when his whole clan was annihilated.

"It's so... messed up. I can't even believe it." Naruto began to pace around. "Oh, Sakura."

When Sasuke had found her lifeless body, she was about about 50 kilometers away from where she was supposed to be. The ground around her was destroyed. There was blood everywhere. It was a horrific sight. When he landed in the area, he was taking cautious steps in case the ground had land mines. He scanned the area and saw an arm about 2 meters from where he was and a foot about another 6 meters away.

_What the fuck happened here._

And then he found her. She was a mess. There was dried blood caked onto her skin, hair, and clothes. He began calling her name but she was unresponsive. She suffered burns, cuts, and bruises. Everything. He put his ear to her her mouth and chest, it faint but there still was a pulse. Soon after the Anbu came and took care of everything else.

But there was something he couldn't shake off. When the medical team arrived and took her out of his grasp, he could feel something inside of him still wanting to hold her.

It was too unhealthy for Uchiha Sasuke to keep thinking about Haruno Sakura. He was just too disturbed.

Shit like this _shouldn't_ happen to her.

* * *

Thank you for all the comments. And please continue to read & review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Never Too Late**

.

"She's gone? What do you mean she's_ gone_!" exclaimed the frustrated blonde. When Tsunade gave the thumbs up to go and see Sakura, both him and Sasuke were expecting to see her still asleep in her room, and not an empty hospital bed.

"I just checked up on her 10 minutes ago..." Sighed the nurse who tilted her head in contemplation.

"Where ever she is," Sasuke said, "she couldn't have gotten far. Not with those injuries."

Naruto and Sasuke split up to go search for her.

The night before, Sasuke had a sleepless night. In his apartment, which bordered the Uchiha residences, he remained awake, frustrated by his inability to sleep. Coolly, he rested is hands behind his head. He layed there in the comfort of his bed thinking... just thinking. It was a sad thing that happened to Sakura. That was something he understood deeply. And he also understood that the pain may never go away. With this said, it's not like he was willing to step up and be her personal mentor. It was still her problem, afterall. Uchiha Sasuke was never one to mingle in someone else's emotional problem.

And then he found her.

From behind her, he watched as she sat on a ledge and gently rocked herself back and forth. The strands of her hair were significantly longer. Not that he cared, he just noticed.

Sasuke took a step towards her and then another one. She started humming a tune; her eyes were closed.

It was quite breezy on the roof of the hospital. When he felt he was close enough, Sasuke just stood there knowing she'd acknowledge his presence. And he was right.

"Sasuke," her voice was airy and light. Her eyes were still closed.

"You should go back inside, it's chilly."

Sakura shook her head. Her eyes finally open. "No, I don't want to."

He was a bit surprised. Sakura's face wasn't tear stained as he imagined it to be. And again, she wasn't going to him and clinging onto his shirt crying like he expected. Instead, her face was inscrutable. Not a trace of a single tear. He couldn't figure out what she was thinking. The morning sun was still rising and it made her face glow. She looked so serene.

"You should rest."

Sakura had a bandage wrapped around her arm and hands. There was another bandaid on her forehead. She pushed herself off the ledge and landed on her feet. "See? Perfectly okay."

"Hn."

Sakura walked to the edge of the hospital roof. She leaned over and closed her eyes."Wouldn't it be nice to just forget everything... to go far far away?" Her speech was beginning to sound like incoherent mumbles. Her once bright emerald eyes were now dull, her lids were half closed, "I just... I just..." She lost her balance and almost fell over. Quickly Sasuke ran over and pulled her back before she fell off the roof.

"What did I tell you!"

Sakura began resisting in his arms, "Sasuke, let go please."

"No. You're going to do something stupid again. I'm bringing you back."

He felt the resisting stop.

"You..." She started, her voice volume dropping, "...you should have let me fall..."

He noticed her eyes were half open, she clearly was not herself.

"The drugs are making you act weirdly. We're going in _now_."

* * *

"W-What happened?" Naruto inquired.

"Don't worry about it, just let her sleep."

"But-"

Sasuke threw Naruto a stern look, "She's exhausted, we should go."

They both looked over to their sleeping teammate and Naruto pulled the covers over her tighter. "Please be okay, Sakura." He took her hand and rubbed it. The boys had left.

An hour later, Sakura's eyes opened to a dark room. Despite it being morning, the curtains were drawn shut, maybe as an attempt to make it seem like it was night to fool her into sleeping more. In her restless nature, Sakura couldn't go back to sleep anyway and yet she was still so so tired. She closed her eyes for another 2 seconds. "You're back." She said.

"You're pretty keen." Came the reply. Sasuke took a seat in the chair next to her bed. "Have the drugs worn of yet?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

"Hn."

"What are you doing here."

"Just go back to sleep."

Sakura scoffed, "You never answer my questions."

"It's not important now."

His voice was smooth like honey. In the darkness of the room, she could still see the outline of his body; the way he sat there, fingers interlocked in front of his face. His eyes stared past her into the darkness. What he was thinking, she didn't know.

"Did they find out?" She said.

"What."

"The person who killed my parents."

She could tell his gaze was on her now.

"No. Not yet."

"Were there any leads?"

"Some."

"What were they."

She heard him exhale. The sound signified she was going to hear something important: "They found a specialized kunai near the site. Blacksmiths from the Land of Key are experts in manufacturing specialized kunai. Regardless, you shouldn't be worrying about this right now. You should be resting."

A silence took over the room and the both of them stared off into darkness.

"What are you doing here?"

"You already asked that."

"And I didn't get my answer-"

"Don't be difficult."

"Hah," Sakura scoffed. She turned to look at the annoyed Uchiha. In her drugged state Sakura felt brave enough to do anything. Even risking to set him off with her questions. "You hated me didn't you."

His eyes darted around the room; even Sakura could tell he was stalling. "It's alright," she said, "I just want to know."

"I didn't hate you, Sakura. You just weren't... a priority."

Two days later, Sakura was discharged from the hospital. She was strong and others noticed it too. For her to only spend 3 days in the hospital with those injuries was a Godsend. Others would have been in bed for weeks. During her stay in the hospital, she prepared herself mentally and especially, emotionally. She hadn't cried yet, not since then.

Uchiha Sasuke had appeared by her side everyday while she was bed ridden. She didn't know why, but she had a bet that it had a lot to do with guilt. On the last day before being discharged, she had told him there was nothing to be sorry for. He didn't have to make up for anything. Frankly, she just didn't care anymore. The romantic feelings she felt for him years ago, she thought had still lingered around her, but when she laid her eyes on him, there was nothing. She felt nothing. There was no special thunder bolt or spark that she felt. She was finally over it.

Because right now, there were bigger things to worry about.

Sakura was instructed to go straight home and continue her rest there, but in her kindered spirit, she had already wasted 3 days in the hospital and was eager to get out there and continue training.

_Alright..._

She clenched her fist and her black glove was tight with friction. She summoned all the chakra into her hand and ran forward.

_Concentrate, concentrate..._

Sakura quickly brought her arm the back and flung it forward into a boulder that exploded with contact. After a satisfied smirk, she recoiled back with a back flip into her original spot.

She tugged at her glove and found another target to attack; this time she spun in the air and land her heel, crushing another huge rock into nothing but rubble.

Sakura knew to not strain herself and so she packed up, left the training ground for the day and went home to prepare for her parents' funeral. Naruto and Sasuke were supposed to pick her up around 7 in the evening. The sun had already started to set.

* * *

There was a knock at her door, "Come in." Sakura turned back around to face herself in the mirror. With a bobby pin inbetween her lips, she struggled to keep her strands in place.

Naruto stuck his head in first, "Sakura... hey, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Naruto." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Naruto had changed his clothes into an all-black attire. That image alone sent a shiver down her spine and reminded her of the situation. Her parents were dead, and indeed this was their funeral, but it hadn't really all sinked in yet.

After pushing the pin into the last strand, she turned around to face him. Her hair, the top half pulled up into a half up-do and she left her signature face framing bangs where they were.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura," Naruto muttered, his eyes glazed over. He was frowning, he looked sadder than she looked. He then came to her and gave her a hug. The warmth surrounded her and she could have sworn at moment she was about to break down. Thank god for waterproof mascara. She didn't though because days of mentally and emotionally supporting herself prevented such a thing.

"Sasuke...?"

"He's going to meet us there. Should we get going?"

Sakura nodded.

The sun had set and they continued to walk to the cemetery in silence. Naruto held her hand and squeezed it occasionally for reassurance. The place was lit up with various lights. It was dim. The shiny plaques over the graves reflected more light all around. But as people began to acknowledge her presence they made way for her to walk through. She was at the front and Naruto lingered beside her. It was almost... eerie.

It was a closed-casket ceremony. She could only imagine what was inside those coffins... The thought of it almost made her tear up. Sakura bit her lip.

_I don't want to cry..._

When the ceremony started, she heard people crying behind her. Tsunade watched her from a distance and to her surprise there were no tears.

It was incredibly difficult to hold her ground. To not lose her mind in front of all these people. The sadness surrounded her, the hysteria bubbled inside her core, pushing and pushing. To suddenly let go of the people who raised her, took their love and gave it to her. To watch them be horrifically murdered over and over in her dreams. How much longer could she last?

And hand was placed on her shoulder and she flinched on contact.

"Sasuke."

After the ceremony, there was no after-service. She went straight home, and claimed she just wanted to be alone.

It felt like forever to get home, the tears were threatening to fall. Mentally she planned her night: to go home and cry, to let it all out. The pressure pushed at her sides and her chest heaved in and out.

Her eyes were starting to blur. When she reached her door, her fingers clumsily fumbled with the keys. She dropped it twice, cussing. The door flung open and she got in and slammed it shut. Locked it.

Sakura sobbed. She cried it all out.

_"Why...?_" She screamed in between sobs, _"Mom!... Dad!"_

She never cried like this before. The tears were pouring out. Her chest hurt and her head was pounding.

_I can't take it..._ The images of her parents' limbs, body parts... She took her coffee table and flipped it over. It crashed onto the floor and the flower vase hit the floor with a sickening crack.

She continued to cry. She leaned back onto the door that she came in and slid down to the floor. She grabbed at her hair and pulled it in agony. Her pretty face was twisted in ultimate depression.

She cried louder and louder, shrieking in high sobs. The sound was heartbreaking. She mumbled incoherent words in the midst of her crying. The pain was certainly to great for her to handle.

Little did she know, Sasuke was outside on the other side of the door, listening to every bit of it.

* * *

R&R!


	7. Chapter 7

**Never Too Late**

.

What brought him to her doorstep that night was unknown. He couldn't help but follow her, the tension in his core urged him on. But why?

_Fuck, what am I doing..._ he thought as he trailed after her in the shadows. He took his steps nimbly as if the slightest ruffle of his clothes or a step on a twig would expose him.

He simply wanted to see if she was going to be okay on her own. He knew for himself that late nights alone with no family were certainly no fun, heck, he knew all too well. The Uchiha stalled in the shadows and held his breath as she sped by. He must have gotten ahead of himself while thinking. He scanned her expression; eyebrows scrunched together, her teeth biting quite vigorously at her bottom lip, the eyes narrow. It was a face he was not used to seeing on Sakura. And it was something that made his stomach churn.

After watching her clumsy hands drop her keys twice, he couldn't help but pick up the sting of profanities that slipped from her lips.

This certainly wasn't the Sakura he used to know.

* * *

"Hey how are you feeling?" Naruto came to pick her up the next morning and volunteered to walk her to the hospital so she could report for duty.

"I'm better," she half smiled. The bags under her eyes and her messy hair stated otherwise.

As she began to step out of the door, Naruto moved out of the way but a certain navy blue flash appeared, blocking her path. An arm shot out towards the door frame preventing her from moving any further. Her glassy eyes met with his eyes and she turned away knowing he saw the bags. Anyone could see from one look that she was in one hell of a turmoil.

"You're not well." He stated.

"I have to go." She said meekly. Naruto sensed the stress this was giving her and urged Sasuke to back off. "Hey, let's just let her do her own thing right now, okay?"

Sasuke did nothing but stare at her. His dark eyes thinned, examining her frail features.

"Tsunade is ordering you to take a day off."

"A day off?" She interjected. "Sasuke," she groaned, "Please, I just... I just need to do something, I..."

There was no way she was going to spend her day in doing nothing. The memories would haunt and torment her; it wouldn't leave her alone. She had to occupy herself with something, anything. If it meant working at the hospital for an 18 hour shift, then fine. And right now, she needed that kind of getaway. Sasuke took a step in to completely block her way.

"I'm going." She forced through the two boys, ignoring Naruto's futile attempt to get her to slow down. The blonde shot Sasuke a worried look before leaving to catch up with her.

She had remained silent on her way to the hospital even when Naruto caught up to her and started apologizing on Sasuke's behalf. She knew Sasuke meant well, she really did. But right now, her capacity could only handle one thing at a time and that meant Sasuke just had to wait.

"You know, they found more clues about... that." Naruto finally said. He knew she would listen to this. Sakura skid to a stop and turned to Naruto who had followed suit. She looked at him expectantly waiting for him to utter the first sound of news. Though, he looked reluctant and she grew impatient.

"Naruto, what is it? What did they find?"

His blue eyes flashed to her and then he turned away. He seemed hesitant to tell her, as if she would act rationally with any piece of news about it. "They found a summoning scroll near the site; it was... a hell of a jutsu. Whoever summoned- whatever it was- didn't finish the job cleanly and left some evidence of himself. The specialized kunai, the scroll... there were other things but all of the evidence points to someone residing from the Land of Key."

There was a flicker in her eyes as if all the fire of her suffering was diminished for that second.

"Do we know why the demon was awakened? Or, why it went after my parents?"

"You're parents, Sakura, were on a mission to stop the guy who had that scroll. I guess it was just bad luck..."

"Bad luck." She repeated, a sour tone hinted in her voice.

Upon reaching the entrance of Konoha's hospital, Naruto turned to face her. He had a bittersweet expression mixed into his cerulean eyes. And catching the silent reassurance, Sakura got on her tippy-toes and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "I'll be okay," she smiled, "I promise."

"You know I'll be here for you no matter what, Sakura." He smiled weakly, the whiskers more noticeable in his cheeks.

"I know, thanks."

* * *

The day had gone by fast and yet the day never seemed to end. But in the last couple moments of her shift, she grew tired with each breath. The thoughts still lingered in her head, less fearful and less heavy. The fatigue that weighed her muscles down inhibited any sense of emotion now. She was just too tired and sick of everything. Sakura ran her fingers through her hair and winced when she came across a knot. The pull of it sent a jolt of pain through her and shook herself awake from the fatigue. "Ow." She had forgotten to comb her hair that morning.

After disinfecting the surgical tools, Sakura stored them safetly and went to log herself out. It was quieter in the hospital now that the night had set in. There was a certain eeriness to everything as she walked through the hallway. The heel of her boots clicking and echoing off the walls made her feel like she was alone in the whole hospital.

When she reached the front counter, Sakura flipped through the log book and signed herself out with a messy scribble of her signature. She sighed in content that she had managed to get her mind off of everything for the day but sighed in dismay because she would have to go home to nothing.

"Have you eaten yet?" Came a voice from behind her.

Her green eyes grew wide with surprise for a second and then she turned around to face him. "Sasuke! What are you doing here?" She closed the log book and tried to hide the grumble in her stomach. "I-I'm not hungry."

"Regardless, I'm taking you out." He said coolly with his hands sheltered in the material of his pockets.

She hadn't found the strength to say 'no' instead she found herself on autopilot just simply following the path that was laid out for her. He walked out first and she watched him for a second. When he sensed her reluctance to follow, he turned around and said, "let's go."

The night around Konoha was different. The air smelled different and she just didn't feel like herself. Sasuke was about a step ahead of her and she trailed behind him in his shadow. She examined his back, the outline of it, the way it curved in from his broad shoulders down to his slim waist. He was slender but built.

She shook her head. What the hell was she doing checking out Uchiha Sasuke at a time like this? _Wow, Sakura._ She thought to herself. _Seriously._

"What do you want to eat?" He asked, slowing down to match her speed.

She flinched hoping he didn't notice her staring at him,"Uh.. anything."

"That helps," he muttered sarcastically. They continued to walk in silence and she began to pick up a certain awkwardness to it. Quickly she glanced to him, his face lit by the street lanterns. He seemed indifferent and normal like the word awkward never existed in his aura of coolness.

They settled in a nice restaurant in the shopping district. The waiter came by poured ice water in their cups and handed them menus.

Upon 2 seconds of looking at the menu, she attempted to get his attention,"Psst... Sasuke..."

His eyebrow irked up and his eyes peered over the menu to meet her.

Sakura pointed to the menu and whispered, eyes wide with humorous terror: "This is hella expensive...! Let's dip before the waiter comes back!"

She could have sworn Sasuke laughed. When he set the menu down there was a grin on his face and she stared at it in shock. Then the waiter returned and collected the menus. "Has dinner been decided?"

"I'll have the lasagna," he said then his eyes flickered to her for an answer. She stared back at him and stuttered. There was no answer. "Get the same for her too."

When the waiter left and Sakura voiced her disbelief. "Sasuke! It's like 45 bucks for a meal!"

"So?"

"It's not like I can't afford it, but this is _ridiculous._"

"You've been eating way too much 5 dollar ramen with Naruto, it's time you ate some real food." Sasuke said and she finally smiled for the first time in a long time that he saw her.

"I guess."

They both sat there quiet until Sakura could find something to say. When she opened her mouth to speak, Sasuke stood up and excused himself for a bit, "I'll be right back."

She watched him walk away. Women from different tables gawked at him as he passed their tables. They squealed and Sakura could swear she saw the hearts fluttering above their heads. She was just happy that she was over it. No more wasted tears on him and sleepless nights rolling around in the covers imagining something that would never happen. Sakura was an independent woman. She was going to call the shots now.

"Oh my, it pains me to see beautiful woman sitting all by her lonesome!" She knew what was going to happen before she even looked up from the table. Being Konoha's number one medic, her beauty, intelligence and charisma made her an ideal girl for most men. She wasn't one to brag, but being hit on was the norm. The man in his early 20's proceeded to take her hand, "how about I buy you a drink?"

Before she could say anything, a clearly disgusted Uchiha appeared behind him and said with obvious repulsion,"Get your dirty hands off her..."

The other man, turned around to face Sasuke and froze, "U-Uchiha!"

"...Or, do you need help disappearing?" Sasuke continued, beginning to clench his fist.

He backed off and left in fear like a dog running with his tail between his legs. Coolly, Sasuke sat back down in his seat like nothing happened.

"Thanks."

"Hn. Do the men around here do that a lot to you?"

Sakura was slightly embarrassed by the question but answered truthfully, "Yeah kind of. But it's okay, I know how to deal with them now."

Sasuke didn't say anything after that. And she was so relieved that their food came. Sakura picked up her fork, and took a bite out of the lasagna and gasped, "oh my god, this is _so_ good!"

He smirked, "if you like it that much, then we'll come again."

She didn't miss that part. _'We'll come again.'_ Did Sasuke lose it? All of a sudden he wanted to hang out with _her_? The old Sakura would have done backflips but she just sat there and smiled politely, "sure." Inwardly, Sakura thought the world was messing with her. Seriously world, hadn't she been through enough already?

After the meal, Sakura took out her wallet and announced to him that she was going to pay for her meal. Before she got up, Sakura took one more sip of the water and Sasuke said: "Don't bother, I've already paid for both of us." She choked and caught the water before it came spewing out onto the Uchiha in front of her. "Er what? Sasuke! You didn't need to do that!" She scolded.

He shrugged it off.

* * *

They walked by the lantern lit river and she had to admit that she was having a pretty good time with him. The moon was the brightest that she had ever seen and the scent in the air was fresh like morning. After their dinner they had walked all around Konoha, conversing. Okay, maybe not the _both_ of them entirely but he certainly was a good listener. She could tell between someone interested and someone who just didn't give a shit. He chuckled softly when there was a funny part, asked questions when she lacked detail. He was interested and if he wasn't, it would have been like talking to Shikamaru or something. It would have been clear.

Sakura kicked a rock into the river and watched it splash into the water. She was caught in a middle of a story about Naruto and Konohamaru when it hit her that this would actually be considered a date. Realizing this, she finished the story quickly and turned to face him.

She caught him staring at her and a blush was evident on her clear light skin. There was silence now, except for the sound of water rushing by. She smiled embarrassingly for being so talkative and tipped her head to the side to pull some strands of her pastel hair behind her ear. "Thanks," she started, "I had fun tonight. It really got my mind off of things."

Sasuke remained stoic, his expression inscrutable. His midnight eyes gleamed in the moonlight as he stared off across the river. She found herself running her sight over his profile; the shape of his dark eyebrows, the way they almost frowned as he was lost in his thoughts. The line of his high nose bridge running down until the peak of his nose. His lips were thin and once in a while, she found him running his tongue along the bottom lip. He really was the most handsome guy she had ever seen in her life. This fact didn't mean she liked him, he was just incredibly good looking and she couldn't deny that.

"I should get going now. Thanks again, Sasuke." Sakura had began to walk in the opposite direction toward her apartment and left a surprised Sasuke standing by the river.

_She really had changed_, he thought. She didn't ask for a hug, hadn't pestered him into walking her home. She just... left.

His voice was velvet: "Wait."

She turned around and he began to walk towards her. As the space began to close, she felt his body entrap hers. He took her face in his hands as he directed her lips to his. Sakura hadn't had enough time to assess the situation which lead her to be short of breath. In result, she whimpered against the Uchiha; soft moans leaving her lips.

Rather than pulling away like she expected, she felt him going in deeper, adding more force to the kiss. Sakura closed her eyes. She felt the heat burning through her, the confusion fluttering through her mind like a train gliding past a pile of leaves. She was indeed lost, but at this exact moment she didn't seem to mind.

* * *

r&r thanks!


	8. Chapter 8

**Never Too Late**

.

Why.

Why, she thought. Why did he kiss her, why did he pull this one all of a sudden?

After they both had pulled apart, she let her head drop and hid her face from the expectant Uchiha.

"Why?" She whispered against his chest.

The warm breeze blew through them and he was silent. Frankly, he felt like he didn't know why either. She raised her eyes to meet his and without any fear he mercilessly stared back. "I don't understand..." She muttered, starting to take steps back. Suddenly, the logic had set in. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not between them.

"Sakura," he said, his voice low, "you're different."

She looked up to him from her lashes. "I'm different... so you_ kiss_ me." She had made it a statement and said it in a way that didn't make sense to her.

"It's not like that, Sakura."

"Then what the hell does it mean?" She snapped.

"Watching you the last couple weeks was like watching you kill yourself," he retorted, his jaw hardening,"It's annoying."

"Oh, now you care? Don't tell me this is your way to make it up to me. I told you I don't need your sympathy, I don't need your pity. I'll be just fine."

"Don't be an idiot. If anyone knows how you feel, it's me. You try to hide all your feelings in front of everyone even though it's tearing you down."

Feeling the stress and the hysteria creeping back to her Sakura clenched her fists, "Listen, you left us for years and then suddenly show up out of nowhere, so just don't come back thinking everything is the same. You don't have the right."

He grunted and spoke," Hn. I don't regret leaving; there were things that I had to do. What? Are you looking for an apology?"

"Oh trust me, I'm not holding anything against you anymore, Sasuke." Her tone was sarcastic. "You know I had feelings for you when we were younger and now, you think you can just do whatever you want to me? I'm not the same girl you knew years ago. You've missed way too much to judge me now."

The Uchiha hid is guilt. He knew he had acted a bit too quickly for his own good and he suffered the consequences watching his pink haired, ex-teammate fume in front of him.

Sakura's posture slumped in dismay. "...I'm just really confused."

"I know."

There was a subtle disoriented look in his eyes and yet he remained stoic. He motioned for her to follow him,"I'm walking you home now." She was about to open her mouth to retort but he shot her a look before she could do so. Her heart immediately sank. Maybe she had been a little bit too harsh on him. Afterall, he was just trying to be nice, right? She sighed trailing after him.

Regardless, her priorities were set and Sasuke just had to wait.

Upon reaching her door step she turned to Sasuke willing to say thank you and goodnight but a gentle yawn escaped her mouth. She was much more tired than she thought she was Sasuke was quick to catch it. "It's late, you should get your rest."

"Mhmm. Thanks... Sasuke. Goodnight." She said quietly.

He gave a nod before disappearing into the night.

Her apartment had been a mess from the night before. She winced walking by her now broken glass coffee table. The flowers on the floor had began to wither; A sympathy bouquet she had recieved from Ino when news of her parents death had gotten around. There were broken shards of glass all over the floor of her living room. Slowly she got on her knees and began picking up each shard one by one without fear of it cutting into her skin.

Fear. If somehow she had gotten over the fear, the hesitation... her parents might have been saved. Hot tears began to prick her eyes. Regret. The worst feeling. If she wanted anything, it would be to go back in time and kill the bastard who killed her parents. Her fingers began to wrap around the glass shards in her palm. Tighter and tighter the edges of the pieces began pierce her skin.

_If... If I only reacted quicker.._. she began to cry again.

The mind was a special thing. Sometimes it proved to be much more powerful than the body itself. It had the power to control movement, emotion. If her mind had been stronger... then maybe...

When she finished sweeping up the last of the glass, she washed up and curled up in her bed. Slowly, slowly she began to fall asleep, the thoughts heavy on her heart...

But, the nightmares never end, do they?

_Hello, Sakura._ The voice cooed. _Nice to finally meet you._

Sakura's eyes began to open and her body was sprawled out on the granite floor. _Where am I..._ Finding little strength, the kunoichi pushed herself up into a sitting position. Looking around, there was nothing but darkness that surrounded her. _Who are you?_

The sinister voice laughed sending chills right through her spine. _Should I remind you?_ The floor began to bubble and boil, then suddenly a figure began to rise up above the surface. Sakura gasped. It was her mother.

_Sa-Saku...ra..._ Her mother panted. She was covered in blood that dripped off her disoriented limbs into the bubbling tar beneath her.

_Mom!_ Quickly getting to her feet, Sakura ran to the figure that was her mother, but before she could reach out the figure bursted into nothingness. Getting the hint, Sakura flung back grabbing a kunai from her thigh in the process.

_You sick bastard!_ She growled.

_Haha...! _The voice bellowed from nowhere. The ground was shaking all around her. _Why won't you come kill me, little girl? Or are you too weak?_

Sakura bit her lips so hard that they bled. She tasted her own blood; metallic and warm. _Come out where I can see you! I'll rip you apart!_ She hissed.

_Would you like to come find me? You can come kill me yourself._ Sakura glanced around her looking for some clues as to where this demon was. But there was nothing.

_In the Land of Key, I'll be waiting for you, Sakura. Come. Come avenge your beloved parents._

_What kind of sick twisted game..._

Images of a grey sky began to set in her mind. The vision steered down a broken muddy path... past a deep dark forest that made her shutter. She watched as the images faded in and out, showing scenes of a dark castle-like structure.

_In there,_ it cooed.

The ground began to boil and her feet then legs were starting to sink down into the ground like quicksand.

_Ah!_ She gasped as the tar like substance engulfed her entire body. She tried to struggle free, the air was pushed out of her lungs as she kicked and thrashed.

_I'll be waiting for you..._

In the brightness of the morning, her eyes fluttered open and she inhaled deeply feeling the cool air rushing into her lungs. The window was open, curtains fluttering in the breeze.

"What... what happened." Sakura stared out the window. The sun was beaming in but on days like this, she'd get up looking forward to her day, a smile plastered on her pretty face. She sighed, letting the weight of her body fall back into her bed. Why me... her nightmares weren't just normal nightmares and she knew whatever it was, was trying to connect with her. Is it a trap? Would she just be walking into her own death? Probably.

But as stubborn as she was, especially with this ordeal clinging onto her shoulders, something had to be done. She couldn't sit still doing nothing while the murderer was out there somewhere. Sakura threw a fist to a her pillow.

_Shit. I hate this._ So what now?

There were 2 certain options:

1) Stay in Konoha and wait for it to come to her.  
2) Go off into the unknown looking for whatever it was.

The answer was clear.

If she waited for some demon to just prance into her village, it would most likely tear apart everything and everyone she loved. That was a risk she wasn't going to take. But what if she faced the demon and she wasn't strong enough to combat it? ...At least she'd die trying right? A lose-lose situation was what she called it. Regardless, leaving was the best answer.

Sakura stared at her reflection in her bathroom mirror. She was still pretty, just that the fatigue and stress had started to take a toll on her. Though, appearance wasn't something she was worried about right now.

Sakura began formulating a plan to get away. It would have to be smooth and flawless. Nobody should know or else they'd chase after her. Not even Naruto.

* * *

_Knock, knock._

"Enter." Bellowed the voice from within.

Sakura stepped into her master's office and bowed politely.

Tsunade looked up from her piles of paper and greeted the rosette. "Ah, Sakura. What brings you here?"

She clasped her hands behind he back, holding a solemn look on her face. "Tsunade-sama, could you give me a few more days off? I still... need to recooperate." Her master leaned back into her chair. Never in the years that she had taught Sakura had she asked for even one day off. If anything, she'd beg for more.

Hoping Tsunade would accept, those couple days would be perfect for her in order to make her get away. She wouldn't tell anyone about her days off so they would think she was working and, in turn, Tsunade would think she was just at home taking care of her own business. And when the time came that everyone realized her absence, she would be far far away for anyone to catch up. Good enough.

"Hm, you worked yesterday hadn't you?"

Sakura nodded.

"And you feel like you need more time off?"

She nodded again, suddenly nervous about Tsunade's questioning. Surely, being her number 1 student would have let her off the hook in some situations.

"Well, if you really feel like you do... I'll get Shizune to take over. Dismissed."

"Thank you."

She would leave tonight. In the darkness of the night, right under the noses of the village guards. She could do it; she was going to do it. No more hesitation, no more fear.

In the library, Sakura searched for maps on the Land of Key. She couldn't take the maps knowing that their absences would give away her destination, so using her photographic memory, she memorized the entire map at one glance. She had to be prepared. Knowing close to nothing about her opponent caused her to whip out all her best moves. Sakura packed away her most poisonous kunais and shuriken. Having natural talent dealing with genjutsu, she prepared her mind and soul for the worst. There was going to be no turning back and there was no telling when she was going to return. She wasn't going to cry anymore, instead the sadness dissipated and what was left was revenge and determination.

"Sakura." Naruto greeted as she passed him in the market, "hey, how are you?"

She smiled sweetly and gave him a big bear hug, "I'm okay, Naruto. I really am."

"That's good. I've been so worried about you in the last couple days, the teme's been butchering my ass to get information off you."

"Has he now?" Sakura snickered, "I actually spent some time with him last night."

This earned a curious look from Naruto. "Really? Like, a date?" He said scruntching his face up in bewilderment. "Well, I'm going to get some ramen, want to come? You can tell me about your little date." He laughed.

Sakura took a step towards him and then recoiled, "Is Sasuke going to be there?"

Naruto shook his head, "He has a meeting with the village council; something about prolonging his probation... because he went out to find you that one time. He wasn't supposed to leave the village."

Now that she thought about it, Sasuke had been the one to bring her home. He had seen her in lifeless, bloody state, on the brink of death. It wasn't pretty. But yet she knew she owed him for saving her life.

"Right," she stated clasping her hands together, "and I think ramen would be good. Do you have any other plans today?" She asked as they walked.

"Mm, Hinata and I are having dinner tonight-"

"Oh really? About time, Naruto! You've kept her waiting long enough!" Sakura placed her hands on her hips, "girls don't like to be kept waiting, you know."

Naruto blushed, "Me and Hinata have a mission to the land of Waves and we have to discuss a game plan..."

"How cute, you're blushing, Naruto. Are you sure it isn't a date too?" They reached the shop and took a seat, "I really hope things work out for you, watch out over her." She smiled sweetly. "I really would like to see the day you get married."

"Haha, Sakura, you're talking as if I'll never see you again."

He almost saw through her and she regained her composure. "Don't be silly, I'll always be with you."

His cerulean eyes shimmered, "I know, Sakura. Just don't go off pulling a Sasuke on me now." He laughed.

_Oh how right he was._

Her duties now laid elsewhere. She couldn't linger in Konoha any longer. It was midday and with each passing moment she grew more tense about her state.

"It's okay, I got it, Naruto."

"Really?" The blonde's face lit up, "You don't have to pay for me too, you don't owe me anything."

Sakura shook her head, putting the money on the counter, "No. I owe you so much."

* * *

The rest of the day she paced inside her apartment. She packed light. It wasn't like she was going on a vacation. Shit, if anything, she was in dire need of one right now.

Suddenly there was a knock on her door: "Open up forehead, it' s Ino."

_Ino!_

Quickly Sakura ran into her room and hid all of her equipment. "I-I'm coming!"

Sakura opened the door to the blonde with a bag hanging off her shoulder. The first thing Ino did was hug her. "I'm sorry..." the blonde muttered. "But I came to cheer you up okay?" When Ino stepped into her apartment, there wasn't used up tissue paper anywhere and Sakura's face wasn't tear stained. That was a good sign; it meant Sakura hadn't cried herself to death.

Suddenly Sakura panicked, she hoped this wasn't one of Ino's surprise slumber parties. Her heart was set on leaving tonight.

"I brought nail polish and facials and ... a waxing kit. Oh, and I brought Mean Girls. Looove this movie."

Great, nothing meant 'sorry for your loss' better than a cucumber face mask.

Ino unload her bag, placing items onto the... "Hey, where's your coffee table?"

"I-I broke it." Sakura said honestly.

The blonde looked up eyeing Sakura up and down and muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes: "I'm sure you did." Sakura crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You're not staying over are you?" Not to be rude, the pink haired girl had priorities. "Trying to get rid of me already forehead? Lucky for you I landed a date with someone..." she cooed, lightly pressing a finger to Sakura's forhead.

"Shikamaru." Sakura said simply.

The blonde flung back, "how.. how did you know?"

sakura scoffed, "It's so obvious. The way you throw yourself at him... the way you look at him."

"Oh my god, am I that easy to read?" They both laughed.

"Hm, I wonder why you guys are going out so late." Sakura cooed, "Don't tell me... I don't want to know." She joked putting her hands up to cover her ears.

Ino gasped, "Ah, no! We're just going to watch a movie, that's all!"

"Sure," Sakura taunted, "_movie_."

For the rest of the evening, the two girls caught up; doing their nails hair, a bit of makeup. It really was useless to doll herself up when she knew she was going to be fighting for her life probably in the next 48 hours. The irony made her laugh. And yet, she cherised the few moments she had up until Ino hugged her goodbye on her doorstep. It was going to be the last time she was going to see her in long a long time, that is, if she was lucky.

"I'll call you and tell you about the date tomorrow okay?" Ino yelled from a distance. Sakura put on a fake smile and nodded. It was passed midnight now and a lot Konoha's citizens were asleep already. This was her time. Sakura made sure her path to escape was clear and she flung her messanger bag over her shoulder, locked her door and crept through the shadows.

Before heading to the gate, she took a detour towards the cemetary. One more goodbye to her parents was most fitted at a time like this.

She kneeled down at the shiny stone, kissed her fingers and brushed them across the suface of the rock.

"Hi mom, dad..." she whispered, catching the tears before they fell. This was a solemn moment for her, even more heartbreaking than the funeral. The wind blew past her, the pink strands were ticking her cheecks as she pulled them back behind her ear.

"I love you and I miss you so much." She sighed. "You don't have to worry about anything anymore okay? I'll take care of everything."

With that said, she got up and made her way to the gate.

It was a calm night. The leaves fluttered around her and the moon shawn so brightly with the appearance of stars. If she hadn't known better this was the same gate that Sasuke left from years ago. She chuckled softly. Hypocrite. I'm such a big hypocrite. To think that years later, Sakura would suffer something as horrible as this. What Sasuke had to go through was something she couldn't even imagine.

Closing her eyes, she mentally prepared herself and gave Konoha a final goodbye...

"Now, where do you think your going?"

* * *

Sorry about the late update! but I can get back to writing now because exams are over now yeahhhh

r&r thank you


	9. Chapter 9

**Never Too Late**

.

She should have known. She couldn't have escaped everyone, especially with this one keeping his eye on her since the day he brought her mangled body back home. She was heartbroken; her escape plan had failed. _Sasuke.._. she hissed, clenching her fist in anger.

Without turning around to face him, she muttered in dismay, "Can we please not do this right now."

"I'm not going to try to stop you, I'm just going to make you realize that won't come back alive." Sasuke said, his voice relaxed and careless.

Thrown off by his blunt statement, she scoffed and looked at him. He was leaning by a tree, his head cocked to the side. His front bangs swayed in the slight breeze as his eyes slowly made contact with hers.

"Really now." Sakura retorted sarcastically, "Well then, it was_ really_ nice knowing you." And with that said she sauntered on her way towards the gate.

Suddenly a flash of dark blue appeared two feet before her and she stopped and crossed her arms. The mood drastically changed as she noticed his facial expression. "History repeats itself, doesn't?" He said smoothly. Trying not to remember that night, she threw her glance to the ground. There was a silence over the two as images of Sasuke's leave took over. Feeling, once again, the frustration and embarrassment she felt when she failed to stop him, Sakura simply side-stepped him and continued on her way.

"You're going to get yourself killed." He said once again but this time with more force.

"Good. One less person to annoy you."

"Hn. It's useless. You'll accomplish nothing."

The last thing she needed was this jerk to come tell her that she was inadequate. If Sasuke had even muttered one more cocky remark, she would have landed her fist in his unsuspecting face.

"You even said it yourself, Sasuke. If anyone were to understand, it would be you, right? So why won't you let me do this."

"'Cause you're foolish. At least when I ran off to Orochimaru, I already knew what was expected. Unlike you, who's running back into the same obvious trap."

"Oh please, Sasuke, don't tell that you _care_ about what happens to me." Sakura was getting more ansy as the seconds passed. If she didn't run into Sasuke she would have been well out of the border by now.

"Naruto."

Sakura's ears perked at the name: "What?"

"How do you think he'd react if he found out you were dead?"

She sighed avoiding the Uchiha's gaze, "Naruto... he's irrelevant right now."

Sakura thought about what he had said earlier: _"I know, Sakura. Just don't go off pulling a Sasuke on me now..." _It would break his heart to pieces. Especially when she told him she was always going to be there.

Her voice minimized to an inaudible whisper, "why are you doing this to me?"

He walked closer to her, his obsidian eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "There are other options rather than blindly going off by yourself-"

"But... there's more isn't there?"

His eyebrow perked as he sensed she was getting more defensive. "What do you mean?" He questioned, a tinge of annoyance in his voice.

She turned around abruptly to look him straight in the eyes: "Sasuke, you_ kissed_ me."

There was no change in his expression. "You needed to snap out of it."

"...And there wasn't another way to do so?"

He didn't say anything. The kunoichi somehow managed to get under his skin. Apparently she wasn't as clueless as he always thought she was.

"Think what you want to think. Point being, you're an idiot if you think you can do this by yourself."

She had wasted too much time. She was going to leave no matter what and no Uchiha was going to stand in her way. "Goodbye Sasuke." Sakura took a step, and then another and then...

"Sakura."

She couldn't answer.

"I need you here."

He didn't see the tears forming in her eyes. Suddenly she felt his presence at her back, his hot breath at her ear. Her whole body tensed up at the boy's close proximity. She shook her head trying with difficulty to stop from crying. He chuckled softly into her ear. His voice was silky as she had ever heard it: "This feels familiar doesn't it?"

Her heart was beating a thousand times a minute. Her breathing was slow and tense. All the muscles in her body contracted. Why was this happening now? The feelings began to flood back to her despite her mind's protest. There was no way she could ever go through the pain of loving Uchiha Sasuke again.

Then he reached for her arm and in an instant, she acted.

Shutting her eyes tightly as the tears began to roll down her cheeks, she jammed the syringe into his thigh.

"Ugh... Sa-Sakura..."

Sakura regained her composure: "I'm putting you to sleep, Sasuke. When you wake up, I will be gone. Don't come after me and forget this ever happened."

She felt his body go limp, the strength slowly leaving his build. His frame collapsed onto her smaller frame and she caught him and moved him over to the nearest tree. Setting him down gently, she glanced at his face once more and disappeared into the darkness.

It was the right thing to do and she knew it.

* * *

A week had passed and Sakura was sure Konoha had already sent out a search team for her. So far she did good. Already she had spotted leaf ninja wondering about in the market of this village but with excellent chakra control she hid herself well from anyone trying to find her. Sakura was bright. She took her time entering into the Land of Key without disoriented, revenge haste. She had reached a village in the Land of Key two days ago and was now staying at an inn. It broke her heart to leave Konoha like that and she knew she'd be risking everything if she returned. Tsunade and Naruto especially... Sakura didn't want to think about that.

She took all precautions to be safe.

Changing her name, changing her clothes, and dying her hair. Yes. Her mother's beautiful gift of that pastel pink hair was changed. She now sported black hair. As the water cascaded over her once pastel strands, the water turned murky and dark. It never was something that she would considered doing, heck, she loved her pink hair. Years and years growing up, she had received gracious compliments regarding how the pink complimented the creaminess of her skin. But it wasn't about appearance now; it was life and death.

She went by Sayuri for the time being; her mother's name. It wasn't a big deal, if she had to state her name to anyone, she would just call herself Sayuri and then steer the conversation elsewhere.

Shuffling her dark strands, Sakura stared at the mirror. Her complexion very much was that of snow white, especially with her black hair and reddish lips.

She was almost at her destination, the castle-like structure she had seen in her vision was near; maybe about another days worth of a journey. Then it wasn't until she noticed as she went down to the foyer of the inn that pictures of her were plastered onto the walls.

_Haruno Sakura - Missing _

_Age: 18_

_Green Eyes, Pink hair._

_Height: 5'5_

_ Last seen..._

Konoha was quick. Only this was expected from the village. She could only imagine the ruckus that would be caused over her absence. Konoha's number 1 medic was missing; would the village think she abandoned them? Had she been casted a rouge ninja?

What about Sasuke?

What was he doing now? What had he done the moment he woke up?

"Sayuri, is it?" Came a voice from behind her. She flinched almost forgetting to react to the name. Sakura tore her eyes from the poster to look at the clerk. "Yes, I would like to check out now, thanks."

In about a day, she'd finally reach the castle.

Along the way she would ask locals about this strange castle of which she saw in her dreams. The locals shrugged, brushing off such an idea with distaste. She had gained no information about it and suddenly felt pessimistic about the whole thing. What if it was just had a really really bad dream that she had believed. No, she shook her head. There was a reason for everything. In the corner of her eye, some ninja from the leaf had assembled by a shop, and discretely, she pulled the hood of her robe over her head. There was noone she recognized but still, her heart beat faster with each passing step.

"Have you heard?" said a villager, "a kunoichi suddenly went missing from Konoha. Apparently she went off to look for some demon. Crazy I tell you!"

"Yeah, and she just up an left without a word! How irresponsible!"

Her gaze shifted away from the villagers. There were things she had to do. Simply put, it was none of their business.

The sky began to darken with clouds and soon the rain began to fall. The people began to scatter under shelter from the water and soon she was out of the village, continuing on her path. In her peripheral vision, her strands blurred black around her sight. It was weird. Black strands clung stubbornly to her pale skin. Her eyes dull, the life was drained.

Suddenly there was the sound of a child crying. Looking up to search for the sound, there was a little boy under a tree, soaked from head to toe.

"Are you lost?" Sakura asked.

The little boy sniffed and rubbed his eyes with his hands. He looked up to meet her and nodded, unable to speak.

"Do you know where you came from? Are you from the village?" This certainly was no time for her to be playing super nanny, but she just couldn't leave him. Her motherly instincts took over and she invited him underneath her cloak. The little boy shook his messy head of brown hair and pointed into the direction she was headed in.

What could possibly be over there? She thought. How odd.

Within an hour, the trees became more dense and with further questioning, the little boy refused to give her any answers except his name.

"Daichi, if you don't tell me where you came from I can't take you home." Then he stopped and stared at the fortress in front of them. That... That was it. The castle in her dream. She stared at it in awe, unable to make her next move.

"Mom!" Daichi broke free from behind Sakura's protection and ran full speed into the castle.

"Daichi!" Sakura gasped, "Don't go in there!" Without a choice, Sakura quickly followed the little boy into the eerie unknown.

* * *

r&r thank you!

.


	10. Chapter 10

**Never Too Late**

**.**

At this point in time, there were a lot of things floating around helplessly in the corners of her mind. This kunoichi who had once had the perfect life was now holding on to her last shred of sanity. These past several weeks had been too difficult for her. It was as if the Gods had given her a wonderful life on a shiny, silver platter. And when she thought she was set, they snatched it away all together.

Her life _was_ perfect; friends, family, talent, and beauty. Up until Sasuke left she then she pushed harder and he came back, only to be costing her a price; her parents. Obviously, she couldn't have her cake and eat it too. The pain hurt far more than having started off with nothing. Sasuke knew that all too well. The pain of breaking those bonds so so quickly... it was so unjust, so morally wrong and yet the world continued to turn regardless if she was willing to step up and do something about it.

She knew Naruto had grown a bunch thoughout the years and she had immense pride for him like a mother at her son's first baseball game. She knew his growth had saved her and countless people of their village but Sakura had grown up so much too. Of course some things may not ever change for her, like her feelings towards Naruto and the village or, her attitude, but her mind set will always stay strong and her goals will never change.

She had seen some gruesome stuff on her seven month mission. She cried the first two months and sucked it up for the next five. There was nothing wrong with crying; even now she still cried. Naruto cried, she even saw Tsunade cry. It was natural and normal.

But now, she wanted to be strong and looking strong meant showing _no_ tears.

"Daichi!" She called.

She began to panick when no reply was heard. Sakura ran faster and faster through the grand hallway, her footsteps echoing off the walls and ceilings. The candles casted an eerie orange glow against the brick walls, her shadow was frightful. This child surely couldn't have out run her. She watched a couple of meters ahead of her, he wasn't in the distance, he wasn't behind her either. There was nowhere else he could have been. The silence was the only thing pounding in her ears.

"Daichi...? Daichi where are you?" She sighed realising that she must have fallen into a trap. Daichi was nothing but an illusion, a decoy to reel her in. Sakura grabbed a kunai from her thigh and held in a defensive manner. She continued to walk aimlessly. The path before her swerved and curved, there were corners she turned, places she thought she had already been. Undeniably, she was lost.

_Fuck._ She cursed. This was not how she wanted this to turn out.

"Come out!" She hissed. She waited. Nothing. Her black strands clung to her face in sweat. The kunai in her fist shook with anxiety and anticipation.

Suddenly as the walls narrowed, she reached the end of the hallway. The wooden door grew larger and larger with each step that she took towards it. This was it. Sakura clenched the door handles, her knuckles were going white from the force.

Inside, the room was stoney and cold. It was big enough that the heels of her shoes echoed off the walls. Droplets of water could be heard hitting the puddles with a subtle rhythm. And then she realized she wasn't alone.

Sakura swung the kunai behind her and anticipated the feeling of it piercing soft flesh. She missed and landed on her toes. She then pushed herself off the ground and attempted to punch the figure and yet again she was dissapointed to not make contact.

_What the hell is going on?_ She stopped and stared straight ahead. Across the distance, the room elevated three steps up to a platform. There was a shadow of a figure sitting quietly on a golden throne.

Sakura's narrowed as the shadow solidified into flesh. "W-who are you!" She demanded, her voice course from frustration.

The figure changed it's sitting posture, switching it's legs over the other. He wore a navy blue robe that cascaded over the edge of the chair down onto the stoney floor. The air was tense as Sakura glared at the unknown male. His hair was dark, most likely the same colour as his robe and the eyes were narrow and silver coloured. He was strikingly, undeniably, handsome. His skin was a perfect olive tone, and she studied him following the oliveness of his tone creeping down into the opening of his robe.

She wasn't expecting this. She imagined a horrifying, raging, beast that was two-times her size, not a man of his stature. Sakura's eyes gazed suspiciously upon the man. This might as well be his human form.

"Well look who we have here..." he cooed, voice low and creamy, "you got a lot more prettier than when I last saw you."

Sakura scoffed, "Shut it. Were you the one who killed them?" It was quite unnecessary to detail her comments since it was obvious that he was indeed the killer.

The man stood up and made his way down the steps, "Let's not get hasty now. We've just come face to face, my dear Sakura. Now, tell me more about yourself." He smiled seductively. She would not be fooled by this. Sakura slowly backed away and got ready for combat. Building up chakra, the kunoichi ran full speed with her fist clenched towards the man. She brought her arm back to initiate the hit then as she flung forward, he caught it with one hand. The impact caused air to rush out between them. Immediately, he pulled her in close and took her face in his other hand.

His silver piercing eyes gazed into her shocked jades. Her eyebrows furrowed as she attempted to break free. No use, his grip was tough.

"Sakura..." He whispered bringing her face nearer to his, "how about we get to know each other."

Sakura gritted her teeth. "Fuck off."

She kicked him hard, knocking him down and flung back.

The man chuckled sending harsh chills down her spine. "Well, that wasn't very nice." He was suddenly behind her, breathing down her neck. "You see, I came from a place where I ruled evrything. The land, the people and it seems that I had been release here though a summoning jutsu." He chuckled again softly into her ears, "You'll get to know that I'm not a very nice person... if you disobey me that is."

"What are you?-" Sakura demanded.

The man suddenly forced a sharp object into her back which made her writhe in agony. Sakura let out a scream only to be heard by no one. There was something seeping into her back, blending into the her blood. It made her paralyzed and her speech and movement was forced to a halt.

Suddenly horns started piercing though his skull and a strange and immense chakra washed over her. It was like the devil himself had appeared. All of a sudden a wave of depression, sadness, worry and anger hit her like a powerful tidal wave.

It was too much... she blacked out from the pain.

* * *

When she awoke, she was no longer in the grand stoney room but in fact, she layed quite comfortably on a bed with silk blankets and lacy rimmed pillows. The tiny room glowed by candles sittling idley on the night stand.

She panicked.

Sakura rummaged around the room looking for her weapons and gear but was left hopeless when nothing turned up. Suddenly a sharp feeling shot through her back and she winced in pain. _Ugh... that bastard did something to me_, she hissed as beads of sweat began to appear on her forehead. Her body tried to fight the toxins that he injected into her before she fell unconscious but she was succombing to it. _Shit_. Her plan was in vain. She had to get out of there because clearly she hadn't thought things through. Then she noticed her hands. They had markings from her palms up onto the inside of her arms. The script was like a tattoo; a foreign forgotten language. There was no way her tongue could twist in the right way to mutter these words.

A mirror was stationed driectly across the room for her. Slowly she walked up towards it, her body trembling with fear. The girl she saw in the mirror scared her but Sakura knew it was herself. The same pale white skin glistened with sweat, her green eyes were still bright but yet she scowered as her eyed narrowed. Her lips quivered, they were a deep blood red. Sakura slowly brought a hand up to her lips, licked her fingers and tasted the blood. Her reflection suddenly smiled menacingly.

She gasped. With fear, Sakura rushed through the door and out into the hallway. But soon after, her body lagged and protested in such movement. She couldn't continue as she was.

Her fingers ached as she clung onto the brick walls, the sweat remained on her moistened skin.

_Nonono!_ This couldn't be her. The metallic taste lingered in her mouth and a sick twisted part of her longed to taste more. _Snap out of it Sakura!_ She told herself. _Stop it! This isn't you! Don't succumb to it!_

She stared at her hands, the characters of the script pulsing on her skin...

_Take it Sakura... Take my gift... _Said the voice as it echoed in her head. "No!" she screamed grabbing her black strands in agony. "I-I won't! I can't-!"

_Wouldn't you like sweet, sweet revenge...? Take my power and kill me with it, Sakura. Don't be afraid...! __Stop resisting!_

She screamed unable to fight the large amounts of energy pouring into her. She thought about her parents and the power lightened off her, she thought about Naruto and the village and an ease came streaming into her conscience. There it was, she was starting to resist the evil powers and then _he_ flashed in her mind. Those eyes, those scary red eyes. So full of hatred and sorrow. "Sasuke..." She whispered, unable to control it anymore. Her finger nails clawed into her scalp as this dark energy invaded her soul. She shrieked and thrashed around, the pain was much too great.

Then, the power ended up engulfing Sakura. This once sweet little girl was now dripping in fury and hatred.

* * *

Hey, I hope this chapter wasn't too out there for you guys! please read, review and enjoy! Thank you.


	11. Chapter 11

**Never Too Late**

.

"It feels good doesn't it? ...My power." The navy haired man approached Sakura step by step as she struggled to keep from falling over. He laughed, the sound deep from his throat. "I need you Sakura. Please help me."

She gave him a disgusted look as she clutched the spot on her chest where her heart was heart beating. "What are you saying?" She said breathless. She collapsed and held herself up on all fours. The man knelt down and took her face in his hands. "Forgive me. I haven't introduced myself have I? My name is Miura and I am a lord in a very far away place. You see, I need to go back. My homeland will fall apart without me."

She scoffed. "You told me to come kill you. So I came to kill you." Sakura rose her fist quickly and smashed his skull. He flung back hitting the wall with such force that the ceiling and walls began to collapse. She stood up shakily.

Miura chuckled and stood up with ease. With a simple crack of his jaw he came walking back to her with a twisted smile on his handsome face. "As if you could kill me. I lured you here because I wanted to use you. I was impressed, Sakura. When you tried to attack me after I killed those two poor excuses for ninja, I sensed your immense chakra and realized I could use you for something." Sakura gritted her teeth together. He was talking about her parents and a wave of anger exploded in her.

She charged at him and planted another fist in his chest. He hit the back wall and again the hallway was shaking from force.

_Just kill him now._ She thought. Gathering all the power to her feet, Sakura ran and jumped a couple of feet in the air with a plan on sending a powerful heel to his heart. Mid-air he grabbed her and flung her down the hall. She landed with a painful smack and struggled to get up.

"I told you. You can't kill me. I'm _way_ too strong for you." Miura stated.

_Shit. He's coming_. She thought. She had to escape somehow.

"Enough!" He said, "If you want to live, you will obey me. If you try to escape I will destroy you those closest to you."

The rosette panted. The marks on her arms were pulsing. "What did you do to me!"

"That is my mark, my blood and yours have combined. And no matter where you go, I will find you. I can kill you in an instant, so I suggest that you be cooperative." This very much reminded her of Orochimaru's hold on Sasuke: the cursed mark.

Sakura avoided eye contact with the silver eyed man, "What do you want from me?" She said feeling helpless.

"Your village has something I need to return home. A summoning scroll made to bind demons like me to our world. Bring it to me and I will leave you alone, decline and consider this world destroyed into an oblivion."

Obviously suspicious, Sakura doubted his words. "How can I trust you? You killed my parents and theatened me."

He smirked and bowed humbily, "A man like me does not go back on his promises. You have my word."

Sakura chuckled inwardly. _I doubt that._ But it didn't seem like she had a choice.

"And." He continued, "let's make a contract shall we?" He reached into his long sleeve, pulled out a gold paper and took her hand and bit into her finger. Sakura let out a small whimper as his teeth broke her skin letting the bright red blood drip out of the cut. "Your blood will be our tie." He said as he forced her finger against the paper. It left a red smudge. "If I go back on my promise, I will be sent to hell. And if you go back on our deal, I have full right to destroy you." He smiled maniacally. "I will lend you my power and with it, you will invade Konoha and bring that scroll to me. Do you understand?"

Sakura wanted to kill him. Beat him to a pulp because of what he did to her family. She did not, especially, want to do any kind of his bidding so he could get off free.

Miura sensed her reluctancy. "You realize you have no choice, Sakura. You belong to me now, your blood is mine and with time your thirst for blood will be unbearable. Wrong and right will have no difference and in the faces of those you love- you will not be able to control your actions to kill them in an instant." Sakura shuttered. "In the meantime, make yourself comfortable. I will not let you leave yet, for you will train until you are ready. That room that you've awaken in is yours and I have taken everything from you that might affect your new goals, Sakura."

The skin on her arms were still painfully throbbing. The disgust she felt with his blood mixed in with hers was enough to make her kill herself on the spot. She couldn't even consider herself a human anymore.

_What the hell did I get myself into?_ As scared as she was, she couldn't let the tears fall. She had to do everything he wanted in order to protect those who were important.

He began to retreat into the shadows. And then her mental battle began: if she listened to Sasuke and stayed in Konoha this whole mess wouldn't have happened. But... who is to say he wasn't going to come and find her, then find the scroll and destroy Konoha himself. At least, she would able to send him back even if it meant costing her own life. She bit her lip in frustration. She had to be strong, stay smart, and over come anything.

* * *

Sasuke awoke. The sun had already started to rise. There was no doubt at all that he felt like there was a cold heavy stone sitting in the middle of his conscience. It weighed him down and made him feel cold and reluctant to do anything.

The state of Konoha had been in great shock to learn that their Haruno Sakura had left them more than two weeks ago. There were no leads at all, despite the village's intense search across the country.

When Sasuke woke up to the sound of Naruto's shrill voice the morning after Sakura took her leave, the first thing he did was try to go after her.

"What are you doing?" Naruto snapped grabbing Sasuke's shoulder to hold him back, "Where's Sakura? She's not at home and I can't find her anywhere!"

Sasuke let out a loud growl, "let me go, I'm going to bring her back!"

"Bring her back? What do you mean, Sasuke?" The blonde's grip was harder on the Uchiha's shoulder, "And why were sleeping under this tree?"

"Would you let go!" Sasuke shook off Naruto's hand and they both scowled at each other, "Dobe, she left to go kill the person to who murdered her parents. I'm going after her."

Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing. "S-Sakura? No... No there's no way she would just leave like that! I know her, she wouldn't do something as risky as this! You're hiding soemthing Sasuke, what did you do to her!"

The Uchiha was sick of the fox's questioning and proceeded on his way towards the village gate. He scoffed and turned around to glare at his best friend, "I didn't do anything, okay? I tried to stop her last night from leaving but she put me out." He couldn't bare to think about it. His dark eyebrows arched down in contemplation as he evaluated his options.

"Regardless, you're not going anywhere." Naruto said sternly, blocking the Uchiha's path.

"What?" Sasuke hissed.

"You're still on probation. The village elders are still flipping shit because you left that one time."

"I don't give a fuck about them. Leave me alone."

"If you leave now, there will be a bigger ruckus and you'll most likely get kicked out of Konoha."

"Like I care-!"

"Do you know how serious that is? Stop talking like you're a big shot. You're still considered a criminal around here!"

The two boys began to fight but since they were almost as strong as one another, the fight ended with a very uneasy Kakashi restraining the both of them.

Sasuke sighed laying uncomfortably in his bed. There was nothing he could do at this point. The days had dragged on and it felt like an eternity since he had last seen her. No. He would not claim anything about Sakura yet. His mind was still going over the possibilities of how he felt about her. Surely, it had been just a fluke on his part to kiss her. Sasuke had told himself over and over again that she just needed a wake up call. That's right. This kunoichi was so wrapped up in her despair, it irked him to make her snap out of it. That's what he had told himself.

_But there was more wasn't there..._

Sakura called him out on this one and he wasn't able to respond.

And it killed him to not have her here. He didn't know why. It just killed him. There was nothing more that he wanted; Itachi was dead, Orochimaru was dead and yet he still wasn't satisfied. It was like an itch. An itch he could not reach. Even if he had found the spot, he couldn't do a thing because _she wasn't here!_ Enveloped in his thoughts and frustration, this Uchiha grabbed his pillow and threw it against the wall, knocking down the old picture of team 7.

He wasn't going to admit anything. It just didn't feel right without her. And with that said, he established (with his own stubborness) that she was just someone who should be around him. Always.

Sasuke scoffed and pushed himself of his bed. Surprisingly, the frame didn't crack. He eyed it purposley avoiding the pink haired girl smiling sweetly at him through the photograph. Sasuke dusted it off and rather than putting it back on the wall, he brought it with him back to his bed and set it down softly on his night stand.

* * *

Ouu, this stubborn Uchiha can't admit his feelings even to himself! How are you guys liking it so far? Give me a heads up by reviewing, thanks a lot. :)

.


	12. Chapter 12

**Never Too Late**

**.**

_September _

_October_

_November_

_December_

_January_

_February_

_March _

_April..._

It had been eight months since Sakura had left Konoha. Everyday they searched and even though most would assume she was already dead, the spirit of her friends and peers believed in her and hoped that some day she would return to them.

The black hue in her strands remained unwelcomed, her lips deep red and craving blood like the malicious warrior she became. The once doe-like eyes were lost and glassy. Sakura stood in a daze; her conscience was no more.

There was something very wrong with this kunoichi. Eight horrific months wreaked havoc on her soul and she was lost in a plummeting spiral of despair. Her parent's names were still in vain; the drive to kill this murderer was eight months overdue.

"Our time together is coming to an end. We've spent eight long months together and I can say I've grown quite attached to you." Miura smiled. "Wouldn't you say... Sakura?"

Silence.

Her throat was scratchy and course. Talking freely wasn't a choice for her. Had she forgotten how to speak in this drawn out revenge plot? Did he, in one of their horrific trainings, rip the vocal chords from her throat?

"You've been very obedient these past few months," he chuckled, "Let's not remember what happened _that_ time when you tried to rebel against me."

Even in her stoic persona, Sakura managed to shutter from the consequences she faced when she tried to kill him in his sleep a few months back.

She was sure this demon had fallen asleep. He sure looked it. Frankly, she didn't know if this demon slept at all or if it even needed a rehabilitation process and yet, she was willing to take the risk. Besides, this was her break. But she knew that at some point, all living things required a resting period. Five months there and she already recognized it's living pattern: It never ate, his true demon-like form was provoked when he was enraged, it seemed to sleep only between the times of 4pm to 12am and Sakura couldn't pinpoint why.

He was asleep, it seemed, and her plan was to quickly drive the poison infused kunai through his heart, attach a binding seal and then make mince meat out of him. Even he wouldn't notice a thing, especially with her excellent chakra control equipped at her advantage.

But, the moment she saw blood dripping from his eyes, she realized she was already caught in his illusion. He was always one step ahead of her.

The next morning, Miura had beat her senseless; drowned her, stabbed her, burnt her, and tortured her. When she was close to death he brought her to the edge of a cliff, and with one hand wrapped around her neck, he held her over the 15 story height towering over pointed rugged rocks beneath. He dropped her. And a second before her body came stabbing into the rocks he had fished her back up and made her heal herself before resuming training. This thought alone sent tremors coursing through her body.

She lived in the darkness of this castle, watched by the very eyes she wanted to blind.

She kept telling herself the pain would end soon. And that meant if she died anytime during her stay there, it would give a certain amount of relief. Regardless, death was still not an option for her. The future seemed bleek but there had to be a light somewhere. If not, she'd make one.

Now standing before him, she was zapped of most feelings, void of any expression, and a stranger to herself.

"Are you ready Sakura? You're time has come to return to your beloved village. Surely, you have gotten rid of those despicable feelings. You're heart and blood are mine. I can feel it Sakura, coursing though my body."

"Hm." It was the only sound she could muster.

But when she'd arrive to Konoha how would she enter? Would she come strolling in like nothing had happened? Wear a disguise?

He said, as if reading her mind: "Don't worry about infiltrating the village, I have something set up for you." The gleam in his eyes meant something to fear. Miura never had a plan that resulted in her completing it with her health intact. "Remember, the scroll is set in a labyrinth deep beneath the village. It is highly guarded by chakra gates but it's nothing you can't handle. Bring it to me and help me perform my seance, only then will we both be free. Do you understand?"

Sakura signified her understanding with a subtle nod.

"If anyone stands in your way... you must annihilate them."

* * *

Konoha continued to be as boisterous and busy as it always was. Naruto and Sasuke walked the streets bickering about how the cup ramen prices suddenly shot up. Despite the innocence of this conversation, it proved nothing more than to steer their thoughts and distract them from the teammate that they lost eight months ago.

Naruto missed her dearly and when conversations would arise, her name always had been mentioned which then was followed by a frown.

"It's not fair." Naruto said with his hands behind his head in an exhausted manner. His eyes were half open, "she didn't derserve this. Why do bad things always happen to good people?"

The Uchiha was lost in his thoughts and didn't notice when Naruto shot him a look.

"I know it was a rhetorical question but don't just leave me hanging."

Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets and muttered, "Shut up, dobe." Knowing well that Naruto was referring to him as well.

They were aware of the strong chance that she had already met her fate but refused to think otherwise because hope was the only thing keeping her alive to them.

"I can't even believe it, 8 months and nothing, like seriously _no_ leads. No left over clothing, no traces of DNA, no... corpses." The blonde shuttered. "Is that even possible, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha scoffed, "why the hell are you asking me? Stop talking about it."

Contrary to Naruto's belief, this conversation about Sakura's dead body hurt Sasuke way more than he thought. Nobody knew that the moment Sasuke's probation was lifted, he shot out of Konoha searching for his pink haired team mate and to his own dismay, returned with nothing. It had been a tough couple months for Uchiha Sasuke. He was much more quiet and reserved than usual and proved to be much more violent when provoked. The only other people he responded to was Naruto, Kakashi and the Hokage.

Konoha had lost many of its elite ninja and Sakura was just another one to add to the pool. Sakura wasn't a betrayer; she didn't ditch Konoha to _willingly_ join the enemy force like Sasuke did. Point being, she left on her own reason that people had called foolish and stupid. Though, rarely anybody would really understand the stress that she felt and the obligations that came with it. Her leave generally confused people.

Sasuke stopped walking when he felt a soft tug at his shoulders and turned slightly to acknowledge his best friend.

"We're going to bring her back, Sasuke. No matter what." Naruto said with a certain shimmer in his sky blue eyes. It was hope.

"Hn." Came the subtle reply. "Now how will you manage that?"

Naruto smirked, the whiskers more prominent on his cheeks, "I got _you_ back didn't I?"

"Do you really want to start that again, dobe?"

The air grew colder around them as if signifying a turn in events. The flicker in both their eyes proved the omninous feeling was indeed present.

"Oi, Naruto, Sasuke!"

The two boys reacted to the voice. "Hey, Shikamaru-" Naruto stopped abruptly when he noticed the sharp look in the ninja's eyes. "What's going on?"

Shikamaru reached them and said sternly: "Important news. The Hokage is calling for the both of you. Right now."

"Why? What's up?" Naruto inquired.

Sasuke was already on his way, darting from roof to roof. Right after, Naruto caught on and followed Sasuke to the Hokage tower.

_Could it be?_ Naruto thought, his heart beating the same fast rhythm as when he first found Sasuke. He could tell Sasuke was thinking the same thing by the look on his face. But, the expression confused Naruto. Sasuke's face naturally held a stoic expression. His features usually were calm and collected, but as Naruto watched from a distance, Sasuke looked tense, he looked... very worried.

Naruto came into the office without knocking as he usually did. And a disturbed looking Sasuke trailed in after.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Tsunade bellowed. "We found her."

* * *

Black strands flung in the air as she took each step closer to her village. Sakura was instructed to arrive near Konoha but not to enter. Miura would somehow find a way to get her in and that thought wasn't sitting right with her.

Briskly, she projected herself off of each branch, keeping in mind that her duties that were top priority. The names 'Naruto' and 'Sasuke' were irrelevant and she hadn't thought about them in the longest time. They sparked no interest to her, well... not anymore.

Sakura's eyes darted around her surroundings. The trees blurred all around her mixing in the green and brown colours. This area looked familiar and she knew she was getting close.

_Remember to stay on track.._. cooed Miura's voice in her mind.

Before, she'd hear his voice in the late dead night, it taunted her and frightened her to no end. But she eventually excepted the fact that she wasn't safe from him anywhere; not even in her mind.

_Stop here! _Miura exclaimed.

Sakura skid to a stop immediately.

_Good._

Suddenly, Miura appeared before her and before she could react, he sent her flying into a tree with a sickening crack.

"What the... fuck...!" Sakura hissed, eyes narrow with confusion and pain. She clutched her head as she felt the warm blood dripping down the side of her face.

He approached her and took her chin in his hand to make her look at him. "Endure it. This is all part of the plan," he smirked, driving a blade across her thigh. She screamed in agony as her flesh slit apart. The deranged demon continued to beat her senseless until chatter could be heard in the distance.

"Did you hear that? It sounded like a girl screaming!" One said.

"I think I heard it from this way!" said another.

Before passing out, Sakura felt his cold breath at her ear and he whispered a subtle 'good luck' before disappearing into the trees.

* * *

read and review please

ty.


	13. Chapter 13

**Never Too Late**

**.**

"How's her condition?"

The lights flashed bright red through her eyelids.

"Stable."

Medic-ninja swarmed all around her body tending to her wounds.

"Blood pressure?"

"Below average."

The voices echoed through her mind. She lingered in limbo between consciousness and unconsciousness. As she struggled to stay alert, her eyeballs rolled back and she succumbed to the fatigue.

In the darkness of her mind, Sakura knew she was back in Konoha and was eager to fulfill her duties. The pressure was on to hurry up and finish off Miura. But as much as she tried, she couldn't bring herself to move a limb or even wake up for that matter. She hated him so much but hated herself more for letting herself fall into this trap.

"Sakura? Can you hear me? Sakura? Sakura!"

_Ino...?_

Something was trying to reach into her mind, poking and forcing its way through. Ino's mind transfer technique. _Did it work?_ In her mind she saw a dark shadow creeping around. It was trying to pry into the hallows of her knowledge. But no such luck. There was a chain and lock sequence wrapped around her brain. It was the same seal that was etched into her arms. These words meant something, she could feel it.

Her mind lagged and what seemed like a second was a day. She discovered this as she awoke watching the day fall into night, the creamy orange sun sinking out of sight for the silky velvet sky to come.

It was only a matter of time before Naruto and Sasuke would arrive. She was only in emergency for two hours and her wounds weren't as bad. Well, not as bad as they could have been considering Miura's strength...

One arm was hooked up to an IV so with her free hand, she shifted her black bangs from her eyes. She was still dressed in her combat attire, signature red top with the Haruno circle imprinted on it. Her beige medical skirt was hung around her waist. Except they had removed her shoes. Sakura had bet that she wasn't going to stay in the hospital long; maybe thrown into confinement immediately after her health had returned. Konoha wasn't very happy with her, she could tell. The cold metal handcuff caught her small wrist harshly. They chained her to the hospital bed like a criminal.

Suddenly the chatter of people were heard behind the door and she debated whether to pretend to sleep to avoid the dreadful questioning at hand. But sooner or later the time would come, so it was best to get it over with anyway.

Sakura eyed the door knob as it's gleam twisted in the light. When the door had opened she quickly threw her gaze to the window.

She knew those footsteps anywhere.

"Sakura." Tsunade's voice boomed, sounding louder than anything in the world. "I am very disappointed in you." Hearing those words struck deep like a thunder bolt and hurt Sakura more than she thought. Though still, Sakura remained silent.

"Are you listening to me, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded once to avoid conflict.

Suddenly, Tsunade's face softened and it looked like she was as stressed as she had ever been in her life. "Why... Sakura... Why? Tell me."

She shook her head again.

Now, Tsunade knew what was up and had been suspicious since the moment Sakura left. She knew the fear in Sakura's eyes and her reluctance. Whatever Sakura had been through scared her to even oppose Tsunade's questioning. It was suspicious was because Sakura was always obedient.

"Somebody hurt you, me who it was so we can help you." Sakura then turned to Tsunade with a grim expression and flashed the markings under her arm. After she turned away. Miura could have been anywhere.

"Very well." Tsunade said."Haruno Sakura, you will be on house arrest for rebellion and opposing authority. When you feel you are ready to confess, please alert the Anbu which will, in turn, report to me."

Her footsteps then faded away behind the door. Tsunade had been easier on her than she thought.

* * *

"Konoha guards were wondering around the area and heard her scream. When they got to her, she was laying there with damage to her body and mind trauma. The real question is who did this to her and how they left so quickly." Tsunade rubbed her temples. "And I just went to see her and she refused to answer me."

"At least she's back. Let Sasuke and I get to the bottom of this, granny." Naruto said determined to reach out for Sakura, "Trust me, we can do it!"

Tsunade eyed the incredible amount of paper work she had to do in the time span of three days. "The Yamanaka's mind transfer couldn't even do justice. But it wouldn't hurt to try. Prepare yourselves when you go in to see her."

"What do you mean?" Naruto questioned.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"See for yourselves." The Hokage said dismissively. "Now, leave. I have a lot to take care of."

The sun had set and the night sunk in. The pull of magnetism in their bodies drew them closer to their teammate. They couldn't help but linger towards her knowing that she was finally so close.

"Sasuke," Naruto started, "What do you think granny means when she told us to prepare ourselves?" The two boys were walking in the direction of the hospital, eager to face her with questions filled to the brim. It didn't take a lot to see that Sasuke was wondering the same thing.

"Do you think she's really _hurt?_"

Sasuke caught the certain swing in Naruto's last word: "What?" He hissed, more confused than ever.

"I mean hurt like..." Naruto comically looked both ways before whispering to Sasuke, "...Disfigured. Damn it, I hope not!" Naruto sped faster.

"No, dumbass. Tsunade would have mentioned something like that." The navy haired boy said coolly. "Stop being so stupid and calm down." Though, the thought alone made Sasuke shiver. He was uneasy when Sakura had even one scratch on her let alone being disfigured. But he knew that wasn't the case, it just couldn't be and yet... what was Tsunade talking about? How scary could Sakura be anyway?

Naruto pouted, putting his hands behind his head. "Sasuke, you're always so harsh." He muttered, eyeing his team mate like he was nuclear waste.

As they stepped into the light of the hospital, there were still people walking around the lobby, visitors chatting with patients, and medical staff running around, tending to their duties. Even at night, the hospital life could still be very busy. Sitting in one of the seats was Ino Yamanaka fiddling with the hem of her shirt, clearly occupied with something on her mind. But seeing that Sasuke walked in, she shot up automatically to greet him.

"Sasuke! Oh my god, I haven't seen you in forever!" She eyed him up and down, "...my you're looking good."

Naruto stared annoyed at the other blond's flirtatious behaviour and grunted to pull her out of Sasuke-La-La-Land.

"What room is Sakura in?" The Uchiha asked going straight to the point.

Ino sighed in defeat. "Room 502. Yeah, you guys should go see her, she doesn't look so good."

This sent a jolt down Naruto's spine as visions of his teammate's disfigurement flooded his brain. "W-what do you mean...?" He asked nervously. Sasuke glared and elbowed Naruto.

"Just go to her," Ino shooed, "I can't even bear to look at her like that... It breaks my heart."

Naruto nudged Sasuke, "Maybe it is true!" He whispered.

"Shut up, dobe."

The elevator wait felt like forever. It was as if every second count. Like, she could have gotten up and left again without a word at anytime. The _bing_ of the elevator awoke their senses as they stepped off onto the fifth floor. They braced themselves as they stood outside the door. Sasuke reached out and took the door knob twisting it lightly. Naruto straightened up.

When they stepped in, the curtains were drawn and the silhouette of a girl was in sitting position. They were relieved they hadn't disturbed her rest.

She sensed their chakra since they had stepped off the elevator. Miura's chakra gave her excellent powers. Even though his chakra hurt her so much, the power was immense and she was going to try to use it to her own advantage.

Sakura spoke first, her voice surprisingly sweet as she cooed: "Naruto... Sasuke."

Naruto couldn't hold back any longer as he ran to her bed and pulled the curtains away. "Sakura!"

The air was still as they were reunited with the girl they thought they knew. Naruto's blue eyes peered deeply into her jade eyes. Her lashes brimmed her eyes so darkly they casted a shadow over gaze. Black hair framed her small pale face. She looked _so_ different and Naruto stared in shock, wondering what happened to his beautiful pink haired teammate.

"Sakura... you..."

The Uchiha kept his distance watching her suspiciously.

"It's been a while hasn't?" Sakura said softly, forcing a slight smile.

"It sure has!" Naruto exclaimed, eyebrows furrowing in determination, "Sakura, why did you leave like that! We could have helped! Out of everyone, we knew how much you were hurting. Why didn't you let us help you?"

She shook her head, shimmering black strands contouring her expression. The kunoichi was in and out of her conscience. She suffered a personality disorder, fighting with who she was and the person Miura wanted her to be. Already, Sasuke noticed that something was wrong. Her pessimism wrung so deep even he felt it.

"Did you kill it?" Sasuke asked sharply.

Sakura heard his voice but rather than replying, she let out a bitter chuckle that gave shivers down Naruto's spine. "Sakura..."

There was no humour in her eyes.

"What happened...?" Naruto asked, spooked by her behaviour, "What happened to you?

There was no way she was going to tell them the hell she experienced while she stayed by Miura. If Miura was lingering around her while she told them, she would have been granted a one way ticket to hell. Sakura merely shrugged the question off.

Sasuke witnessed the dark marks inside her arms and stared unbelieving until he could manage to get another look. "You got a tattoo?" He _was_ curious. Since when did someone like her show an interest in body art? He eyed her black hair too.

"Not willingly." She replied and looked Sasuke right in eyes. She smirked.

The two boys, took note of the slight sadistic behaviour she seemed to pick up and couldn't find the words to say.

"No more questions?" She asked flashing them the handcuff, "now then, could you guys help me out with this? It's chakra infused, I can't get it off by myself."

Naruto clenched his fists, "Sakura, this isn't _you_: the way you look, the way you're speaking! What the hell happened to you! Tell us _now!_"

She looked up from her eyelashes and gave them both a dark smile. The rhythm in her voice was playful in an eerie way.

"Now, if I tell you... I'd have to kill you wouldn't I?"

* * *

read and review ty


	14. Chapter 14

**Never Too Late**

**.**

Sakura whispered almost breathlessly, as if stopping herself, "I, uh, I mean... I wasn't serious, Naruto. I could never hurt you." She half smirked. "So, are you gonna do something about this handcuff or what?"

The blonde still looked incredibly disturbed.

The two boys sent looks to each other while she smiled in the peripheral.

"Can we talk?" Came Sasuke's immediate reply.

"About?"

"You know what it's about."

Knowing that Sasuke could handle her, Naruto disappointingly sauntered out of the room to leave the shadow and the flower alone. After the soft click of the door was heard, Sasuke pulled a seat by her bed and rested his elbows on his knees, fingers interlocked in front of his face. "I'm going to ask you one more time and you are going to answer me."

"What if I don't." Sakura countered.

Sasuke activated his sharingan with the peircing red colour pouring into his eyes. "You will."

If there was one person she could tell it would be Sasuke, considering he had been through this before. Orochimaru's curse mark had infected most of his youth which lead him into a spiral of revenge and dismay. He had grown up too fast. But despite going to him for refuge and advice, Sakura couldn't bear the thought of bringing anyone else into this, especially him.

Then, _it_ began and both her and Sasuke noticed it when their bodies stiffened to the change in atmosphere. The walls began to liquify like the consistancy of thick paint and the windows shattered into tiny fragments.

_Sharingan... eh?_

Miura was lingering around in the shadows beneath her bed. The shackles on her wrist clashed against the metal of the bed rails. The bed shook and Sakura clutched the fabric of her sheets in fear.

"Stop, Sasuke!"Sakura cried and flung herself towards the Uchiha in an attempt to stop his interrogation. Sakura could only go so far when the strain on the handcuff flung her back to the bed. The sharingan had the ability to see though genjutsu so maybe, to Sakura's dismay, Sasuke had seen Miura."Sasuke, please! You don't know what you're doing!"

In a quick hand formation she summoned up a wave chakra, formed the release seal and expelled the illusion.

She panted in relief as the room solidified back to normal. She bit her bottom lip and silently cursed the heavens.

"You've got a lot to explain, Sakura." The Uchiha said flatly.

_Tell him, Sakura. His sharingan could be of use for us..._ Miura cooed.

"No." Sakura replied to the both of them. "There's no way."

"Sakura." Sasuke scowled. "I know what I just saw wasn't nothing."

In the pull of tension, she could only handle so much at a time. She felt this constant questioning was unnecessary; why couldn't they just see that she could handle this alone? For the sake of their safety, she was willing to take all the hits and pay all the cost. Black fringes tickled the skin over her eyebrows and her skin twitched into an itch. Her pale hand tried to reach for the spot, only reaching so far for the handcuff forbid her to move any further.

She heard herself growl, breaking under the pressure. "Sasuke, just leave me the _hell_ alone." She bit through each word. The fierceness in her words made his eyes dart suspiciously from the edge of her bed to her face. She never talked to him that way before. "Do you hear me? What I'm going through is solely my business, so tell Naruto to step back and I want_ you_ to back off me. Understand?"

But of course her words didn't phase this Uchiha. He _Hn_-ed flatly and stepped across the room to the window where he peered out into the darkness of the night.

"You're as stupid as ever."

Her reaction - of which he thought was as humorous as watching a small kitten fight to defend itself - kind of... amused Sasuke.

"Don't tell me you're reluctant to tell me because _you_ want to protect _me_. And don't give me that bullshit about handling it yourself, I can see that you're doing that just fine." He implied sarcastically, smirking like the before events hadn't happened.

She growled, clearly unnerved. "You're over confident and enveloped with pride. Sasuke," She said, his name rolling off her tongue with a flicker of her eyes, "I was so stupid. Being in love with you." She spat. It almost sounded like an insult. "...Let's just do us both a favour and forget about each other. Like you've always wanted."

* * *

She was on house arrest for the next month and waited patiently until her sentence was lifted; only then would she be able to act freely and get down to stealing the scroll.

She knew the ANBU were watching her like a hawk on fire.

But. As the days and weeks passed, the black hair dye started to fade and so did Miura's presence. The tattoos on her arms dissipated to grey sketchings, barely visible.

Sakura couldn't sense him lingering around the corners of her apartment or hovering in the space of her closet like he used to for the first, second and third week of her arrest. _Maybe he... _But that was just foolish thinking. He couldn't just up and left like that. It didn't make sense.

On the last week of her restraint, Sakura pushed through her community service, _dreadful_ meetings with the village council and occasional interrogation interviews. But she was forbidden to leave the village. It was alright for her goal laid simply in the underground, just meters under the surface. The cells deep underground were where her interrogation interviews were held. It was a mix and maze of hallways, dark and dreary as if never touching light. It would here somewhere that she would find that scroll. Her key to freedom.

Wet strands of pink clung to her forehead. Holding the towel to her head, Sakura sensed a presence at the door and threw her towel to her bed. "Who is it?" She said flatly.

"It's me, Naruto. Can I see you for a bit Sakura?" His voice sounded raspy muffled by the door.

Without answering, she opened the door to a fidgety, almost nervous Naruto.

"What is it, Naruto?"

He cleared his throat, "Well I was just thinking, I haven't seen you in almost a month and uh, your house arrest is done so Sasuke and I are going to go out for lunch. Would you like to come with us?

Sakura was quiet.

With his curious nature, Naruto peeked over her head with his height advantage and peered into her apartment. To his surprise, the curtains were pulled shut; the only light available was a dainty old lamp that flickered in the corner of her living room._ How weird and creepy.._. he thought, considering it was a perfectly warm and sunny day outside. "So, what do you say, Sakura? You look like you could, um, use a day out. And I've heard you've been good through out your whole probation, unlike that arrogant jerk, Sasuke..." Naruto muttered bitterly remembering the hardship he faced keeping the Uchiha restrained and obedient.

Sakura breathed in deep, in contemplation, "Oh, I don't know, Naruto-"

Naruto put on a babyface, "Please Sakura, I miss you. I _really_ do. And I know you haven't been yourself lately, but deep inside that old Sakura is in there somewhere. Besides," Naruto continued, "I only have a few days off before my village defenses mission, apparently Konoha's underground is under really tight security, you know."

Sakura's eyes flickered as he said so. She played along, "What do you mean, Naruto?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. Granny said something about the village's _precious_ artifacts being a risk so she sent me and some others to guard them. Easy, I guess. It'll just be pretty boring being down there all day."

"Mm, I see..."

"It's such a big maze down there too," Naruto continued to ramble on, "I mean, she gave me a map and the keys and everything but like, it's ridiculous."

Intrigued, Sakura needed to continue listening to him. This information was gold. "You know what Naruto, I think I'll take your offer up on lunch." She tried to cheer up the tone of her voice but it came out sounding desperate and shrill.

"Eh? Really? That's great! Let's get going!" Naruto threw his arms around her in a bear hug and pulled her so quickly out of her house, her head spun.

He began running through the village streets, his grasp still tight around her wrist. "Naruto!" Sakura called form behind him, "Why are we running!"

The blonde turned to look at her, grinning, "I had to pull you out, I was afraid you'd change your mind! Boy will Sasuke be surprised you showed up!"

They began to slow down into walking speed. He looked so charismatic and bright in the sun. _What a perfect looking hero..._ Sakura unconsciously thought while staring at him. She then shook those thoughts away. She had to stay on task. Sakura must had looked so pale and fragile, being cooped up indoors for almost a whole month. Even the sun felt like it burned against her white skin.

The route that they walked didn't seem so familiar.

"Wait, Naruto, isn't Ichiraku's that way?" The rosette said with a point of her finger in the opposite direction.

"Yeah it is but Sasuke wanted to go somewhere different today. What a shame, I really wanted ramen." He pouted. "But it's funny, the teme actually _talks_ now and he has opinions about things! I swear last night, we talked for 7 whole minutes straight. It's a miracle."

Sakura found herself chucking to that statement then stiffened when she caught him staring at her.

"No, don't stop Sakura. I missed your laughter." He smiled, "And I think pink is a much better colour on you."

* * *

r&r

-sorry for such a long delay. I got so caught up on work and school and just couldn't find that time! but yes, I will try to keep it all regulated, no worries! tell me what you guys think about this chapter. you know the drill ;)


	15. Chapter 15

**Never Too Late**

**.**

"Sasuke has fancy tastes for food, doesn't he Sakura?" Naruto muttered while they entered a small but extravagant restaurant.

She nodded, remembering the last time Sasuke took her out to dinner.

"Ah, Sasuke's already here!" The blonde rushed over to Sasuke's table and grinned. Sakura took her sweet time as she weaved through the tables of people. Some stared and pointed to her, whispering to one another.

"I got a surprise for you!" Naruto cooed as he plopped down next to the Uchiha. Sasuke looked indifferent, annoyed even.

"You're late," he said putting down his tea. "What took so long?"

Oblivious to the pink haired girl that trailed after Naruto, Sakura finally reach their table and cleared her throat to gain the boys' attention. "Sasuke." She greeted. Sasuke, looked up unsuspectingly to see the jade eyes looking back at him. Sasuke glared suspiciously and he merely nodded to acknowledge her. Naruto pulled out a seat for her and ushered her to sit down.

"Ah, doesn't this feel nice to be all together again? I can't even remember the last time we all hung out like this."

She looked burdened, pushing the strands of her pink hair back with her fingers and sighing quietly as she did so. But still her face glowed with a dewy sheen and parts of her skin sparkled. And Sasuke didn't know why he noticed it.

As Naruto argued with the waiter about the sparse ramen choices, Sasuke took the liberty of pouring her a cup of tea. She snapped out of her trance watching as the steam of the liquid rose up to meet her face.

"Thank you," she whispered without making eye contact.

"Hn. You showed up." The Uchiha said simply.

"Yes. Naruto invited me."

Sasuke, eyed her vibes of distress as she nervously darted her eyes from one object to next. "You didn't have to force yourself to come."

Flashing her green eyes to him, she shook her head, and said matter-of-factly,"No. I wanted to come."

Obviously, he didn't believe her and his obsidian eyes glanced over to Naruto who won the argument. Soon after the waiter approached Sakura and asked her for her order. The waiter proved to be quite handsome with a messy head of dark navy hair and... piercing silver eyes. Sakura dawdled on her order, not knowing what she wanted. With her finger tips, she gingerly played with her front bangs, combing through them with her fingers. Then she traced down the side of face and met with her lips and bit into her thumb nail. A gesture all too uncertain.

Though, she didn't notice who it was until she looked up to meet the gaze of the expectant man and almost dropped dead from the shock. When she realized who it was, Sakura gasped loudly, knocking down the cup of tea that Sasuke had just poured for her.

"Miura...!" Sakura hissed, eyes wide with fear.

Miura smirked, he winked. "Why, hello my dear Sakura, fancy meeting you here."

She stared, her eyes narrow with hate. She growled, "What are_ you_ doing here?"

"Whoa, Sakura! Calm down, he's just the waiter!" Naruto said, worry clear in his voice. He began to wonder if his teammate had gone crazy. "Do you know him or something?"

The fuming kunoichi scanned Miura up and down. He wore the restaurants waiter outfit and looked like a normal man. _What the hell...!_ Clearly things were different now; she knew Miura hadn't just _disappeared_.

Miura straightened out his bow tie and smiled accordingly: "Sakura and I... have a history." He laid a hand on hers and she flung it back in reflex.

The Uchiha held a straight face but yet a line of worry creased his forehead.

"But we have a lot to catch up on, now don't we, Sakura? Afterall, we have some unfinished business to take care of."

She kept her face still, knowing an escape was not an option.

"She doesn't look very happy to see you." Sasuke muttered flatly. "Leave her alone."

Miura smiled at him and in return Sasuke scoffed. He knew it was rude to react this way but when did this Uchiha ever give a fuck about anything? Miura noticed Sasuke's defensive nature toward the girl and decided to experiment more with the people of whom Sakura was close to.

"Well, I don't mean to interrupt anything. I mean, if you two are a couple... Sakura why haven't you told me about this?-"

"We're not." Sakura said shakily. Like she's said many times before, no one is going to get involved and here he was, Miura, dragging them all into the dark just like the demon he was. What the hell was going on? This was _not_ part of the plan and suddenly, she felt foolish. Of course he would try and pull something like this.

Naruto looked confused. "Wait, Sakura. Then, are _you_... seeing _him_?"

Before answering, she hesitated. Her heart beat a thousand times minute and her breath grew short. "I... I..." The air was not coming in and she couldn't think straight for the life of her. She looked desperately to Naruto, as if the answer would be written on his face. He stared back, eyebrows angled into a confused expression. She then looked to Sasuke and, to her surprise, he glared at her as if her answer would determine all fate. And last but _certainly_ not least, she threw a glance to Miura.

Despite being one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen in her life (including Sasuke), his expression was deadly, piercing, and heartless. She saw him nod his head in signal.

_No way out._

"Yes." She said finally. "Miura and I are together."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "... Really?" He tried to smile as if being someone who happy for a friend, but that failed. He couldn't do it. It was just so damn weird to see her _dating. _To be honest, Naruto always thought it would be Sasuke.

And Sasuke did too.

The Uchiha grunted as he threw his glance over to Miura who seemed quite content with her answer. As if disregarding everyone at the table, Miura asked to see her that very night: "What do you say Sakura? It's been a while since I've seen you. Let's get... reacquainted._" _He winked._  
_

She nodded slightly; her heartbreaking._  
_

With disgust Sasuke stood up abruptly from the table and stormed off out of the store, causing people to stir and watch. It was a rare sigh to see the Uchiha act up. Naruto followed suit after giving her arm a nudge. A nudge that meant 'be careful.' After the two boys had left, Sakura turned to face Miura and hissed, "What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing!"

He smirked. "Now, now, watch your language. I thought it would be more fun being part of the scheme rather than watching it from afar. Don't you think?"

"You sick motherfucker-"

"Regardless," his tone suddenly went serious, "We still have a deal. As long as you do what I want you to do, you'll be okay. And I've noticed that boy - Sasuke was it? He's certainly taking a liking to you. How intriguing."

Sakura almost punched him but controlled herself right in the nick of time. If she hit him, she would have to be expecting a string of pain coming her way. Instead, she muttered through clenched teeth: "Don't get them involved. You have a deal with me, and _only_ me." Sakura gave him one look and upon turning around to leave she heard him coo,"don't forget your date with me, tonight. I'll be waiting."

* * *

Now Sakura was beyond angry, though she gained one advantage. In his human form, she realized he couldn't read her mind.

It had been almost an hour since Sasuke and Naruto had stormed out of the restaurant and she was worried. She looked everywhere and with no luck, they hadn't turned up. Where could they have gone? She needed to tell them. This was her chance. She'd tell them about Miura while he was human and unable to read her mind. But she had to find them quick because there was no telling when he'd revert back to his demon form.

She could tell them everything. Make them understand and then come up with a plan to end him once and for all. The original scheme was not to get Naruto and Sasuke involved but knowing Miura, he already started to manipulate them. All in all, if they were going to be part of it, she would use them for her own advantage.

When the main village failed to present her missing boys, she ventured to the outskirts to where all the trees and training grounds were located. If they weren't here, they weren't in the village for the reason that she had searched _everywhere_.

"...Hey! Just calm down okay?"

Boom.

"Sasuke! Stop!"

Another boom.

Knowing that voice anywhere, Sakura followed the sounds and ventured deeper into the forest. She could see an impact which made trees break and fall over, causing the ground to tremble underneath her feet.

In the clearing of team 7's training ground, she saw a figure dressed in the familiar dark blue shirt, recklessly attacking the trees. A flash of yellow whipped around that figure as if trying to hold him back.

"Breaking trees won't fix anything!" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke shouted back, "Fuck it, I don't care!"

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried again.

She saw him calling on his chakra as it flowed to his palm. The power formulated in his hand and Sasuke was about to push that dangerous energy towards Naruto. Though, before he could do so, Sakura confidently walked onto the field, letting her presence be known. "Sasuke!" She called.

He stopped in his tracks, and turned to face her. The lightening was still cracking in his palm.

"Sakura!" Naruto said relieved. "Sasuke, he won't stop! He won't listen to me, damn it!"

She got closer to the Uchiha, a heavy heart pounding on her soul. He was upset. "Sasuke," she said quietly. "I really need you to listen to me now. I'm going to tell you everything."

Upon hearing this, Sasuke straightened up and the power was gone in an instant. His voice was coarse and rough as he growled: "You better tell me everything. Don't fuck around with me this time, Sakura."

When he said that it shook her from the inside out and she nodded subtly. Sakura knew this was _not_ the time to be messing with him. She only saw him like this only a few times in her life and each time it scared her to death. Naruto lingered around them expectantly, eager to hear her out.

But when she opened her mouth to speak about the situation, something... something dark pulsed in her and suddenly she couldn't speak. She tried and tried but not even a sound was heard.

_What's going on...?_

"Hn." Sasuke scoffed, annoyed at her.

Naruto sensed something was up, "Sakura? What is it? Spit it out!" And she couldn't for it felt like her airway as clogged and her body went numb. Sakura brought both hands to her neck as the dark energy filled her throat. Then it hit her; she had seen this before. It was a curse mark to forbid her from telling anyone secrets. In this case, Miura probably put it on her to avoid her from spilling any information about him. But when had he put it on her?

At the restaurant when he had touched her hand, she didn't notice a thing!

_Fuck._ She thought.

Sasuke began to walk away.

"No...! She muttered. Sasuke might not trust her after this. "Sasuke, please!"

Before disappearing in a puff of smoke, he turned his head to look at her, his expression hurt and filled with pain. He glanced at her once and vanished.

Naruto took a few steps toward her, his face grim. "What... what happened, Sakura?"

She looked up from the ground, biting her bottom lip hard and her fingers clawing at her neck.

"I... I can't say anything."

* * *

r&r

. fyi, i used the curse mark, idea from episode 197 where Sai was forbidden to say anything about Danzo. hope you know what im talking about! lol


	16. Chapter 16

**Never Too Late**

**.**

It was in the shadows that she hid. The darkness of the sky had seemed to engulf the cityscape, leaving only dots of light to be glittering in the sky. Sakura edged herself along the brick wall of the alleyway between the restaurant and a business building. She was sure Miura was around here somewhere, she could feel him and smell his wretched stench.

After that afternoon, she simply accepted that she no longer should coax anyone into her plan. It was undeniably too complicated and heartbreaking to drag another soul into. Letting her body fall back into her bed, she slammed a closed fist to the mattress and chuckled airily to herself. She had been so foolish. Why risk opening her heart again for these people? They gave her nothing but false hope, a tiny spark of useless hope that would do nothing but distract her from her goals.

They'd be better of without her too.

But she was so obstructed by Miura's surprise appearance that she didn't have a chance to pry the information off Naruto like she intended too.

The first day after a month probation, and she already screwed up with Sasuke. Luck certainly wasn't on her side.

The wind blew through the alleyway, the air was stronger than usual as it was forced though the narrow walls. Shivering once, she pulled the zipper of her shirt higher to protect the exposed skin from the chills.

"What a great, great village."

Instantly, she turn around to watch as he stepped out of the shadows.

"And such lively, inviting people."

Sakura did nothing but glare at him.

"Please don't look at me like that. I hope you can forgive me for suddenly showing up in your village like this, but I couldn't resist being part of the fun."

"Fun?" She hissed, her look shooting daggers. He was still human, sporting the same waiter outfit that he had worn earlier.

Suddenly he appeared before her, just inches from her face. She stumbled back but he pulled her in and drove a sharp dagger past her arm. "I'm sure you've noticed that I'm not able to read your mind in this form. And judging from your face, you've tried to spill information about me, haven't you? Silly, silly girl. My mark, reads your conscious mind and inhibits any thoughts about me before you can even say it out loud. Nifty isn't it?"

Sakura brought her arm back up to where he nicked her skin.

Miura watched her sooth the cut. "That's nothing compared to what I can do to you if you disobey me, Sakura." He circled around her like a hawk, "And I've struck an idea to liven things up a bit. Do play along..."

"What is it?" Sakura asked suspiciously, watching him in case he tried to pull another fast one.

"Be mine."

She stared in shock as the words set in.

"But we've already established that, haven't we?" he laughed, "you should have seen the look on his face, oh lord it was delightful!"

He wasn't talking about Sasuke was he?

Of course he was.

"That's not going to happen." Sakura stated, completely against the idea.

"Why not?" Miura sunk in closer to her proximity until she could feel his icy breath on her skin, "I want you to be my bride."

Sakura stumbled back, unable to hold her balance. The silver eyed man grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his hold. She was disgusted and violated.

"Let go!" She hissed.

"There's no use fighting it, I don't believe you have a choice."

She felt his hands dance up the sides of her body, and wrap his arms around her. She grunted in protest, "Please, I-I can't! It's not fair!"

"There's no such thing as fairness in this world."

And she couldn't help but feel that he was right.

Sakura's number one analogy to this, despite her reluctance to mentioning, _was_ Uchiha Sasuke. It wasn't fair to have a brother annihilate your whole clan and leave you all alone in the world to hate. It just wasn't fair. And unfortunately, she would just have to add her own poor soul to the list.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto... They are important, aren't they."

"What about them?" She said, a little too quickly.

He smirked, "that's all the villagers have been talking about since I've gotten here. Who are they? And why are they the talk of the town?"

"It's none of your business. And I think _our_ business is done." Sakura said, turning her back to walk away. He clicked his tongue, "not so fast. Maybe I could use them-"

Suddenly, she whipped around and stomped up to the silver eyed man. "I said _no!_ You are_ not_ going to get them involved, do you hear me!"

"I actually wasn't going to, but since you seem so reluctant about getting them involved, I'm intrigued about them. The Uchiha has the Sharingan, and who knows what the blond may have... It's exciting."

Sakura gritted her teeth, fists balled at her sides: "That wasn't part of the fucking deal."

He laughed so bone-chillingly she just wanted to run away as far as she could and forget about everything. "Do you really think I'd care about your half of the deal? The only thing you signed for was for me not to destroy you when you give me the scroll. I didn't even consider anyone else."

_Trapped again._

"But," he continued, "I'll be nice today because your emotions are giving me quite the show. I won't touch those precious boys of yours as long as you do what I say."

"That's all I've been doing!"

He seemed indifferent, certainly not giving a shit about her feelings.

Miura sauntered out of the alleyway into the clearing of the street and held out his hand expectantly for her to take it. And she knew that when she would, there was no turning back.

"Now join me, Sakura. It's time to let _our_ presence be known. Together. Only then will we both be happy."

So in defeat, she swallowed her pride, took the last breath of her freedom, and took his hand.

Taking note of her expression, he concluded that she needed to cooperate fully and her attitude clearly didn't do any justice. "Sakura," he sighed, "I want you to make this as believable as you can. Smile for me will you?"

_Smile?_ Fucking, _smile?_

"I guess with practice you'll open up a bit. Remember, if you cooperate, we'll both be happy." He cooed.

* * *

"Did you see that? Haruno Sakura just walked by, holding hands with that handsome stranger!" A young woman whispered.

"No way. That cute waiter from the restaurant? She is so lucky!" Said another one.

Naruto listened curiously to the gossip as he sipped the remaining soup from his ramen bowl. "Oi, Sasuke. Did you hear that?"

The gossip had been continuous ever since the first appearance of Sakura and Miura,_ together_, which had been a week ago. How could Sasuke not hear about it? Heck, the women hardly talked about him anymore... Not that he cared. The Uchiha merely grunted and set his chopsticks down, along with the money to pay for his meal.

"Man, I didn't think she was serious about dating that guy. To be honest, I don't like the looks of it." Naruto said casually, setting down his money too. "But I guess we'll just have to support her, right? I mean, she's been through a lot and if he makes her happy, then I guess we should be happy too."

When Sasuke didn't respond, the blond looked up to to see Sasuke already standing to leave: "Hey, where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

"You're going to find Sakura, aren't you?"

"Would you mind your own business?" Sasuke spat.

Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest, "If it's anything about Sakura, it's my business too. And I know you two didn't get off on good terms last week so you feel guilty, don't you?"

Since when did Naruto become such a specialist about this stuff?

Sasuke, sighed harshly and sat back down on his stool. "I feel bad, okay? I deserted her and now she went running off to this bastard that we know nothing about. It's only a matter of time until she gets her heart broken again."

"I know," Naruto agreed. "So what do we do?"

There was a ruffling at the curtains which signified someone coming into the stand. The blond girl greeted the two boys with a: "Hey boys! Do you guys know what day is coming up?"

"Huh? Naruto said, followed by a, "what?"

Ino tsk-ed, "well, here, take a look for yourselves!" She handed them an envelope.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked monotonously.

She squealed, "My birthday is coming up soon and I'm having a huge party at the hall! It's gonna be a lot of fun so you guys come too, okay?"

The Uchiha scoffed, "I don't do parties."

Ino's blue eyes shimmered, knowing exactly what to say, "I got Sakura to come, but it's sad that her boyfriend won't be able to make it due to a 'business trip.'" She mocked the event making air quotations with her fingers. "She's going to be all by her lonesome..."

Naruto's eyes darted to Sasuke.

Sasuke looked indifferent and then walked away tossing the invitation behind him in a careless gesture, "I'll think about it."

As he left, Ino made a commotion about her how invitations should not be tossed around so carelessly, while shaking Naruto comically to bits.

* * *

Holding the kunai up to her neck, Sakura pondered whether or not this was the way to go.

It had been too long and it bothered her.

Should she cut and end it here?

She dropped the kunai and decided to let her pink locks stay. It had grown considerably since the last time she had it cut, which was before she went off to Miura. She thought she need a change but, looking back, she couldn't take anymore change.

Her hair had grown back to where it was in her preteens. Glossy, shiny and, jealous-worthy. Even Ino admitted once that she was jealous of those lustrous locks. It was straight in a way that still held body and volume. When she walked, the strands bounced. It was pure temptation to run fingers through it, for it was like silk.

Sakura hadn't seen Sasuke at all. Not since she failed to tell him about Miura. And Naruto, barely. Maybe a flash of yellow and orange here and there and he hadn't said more than five words to her in the last week.

Icy fingers trailed along her bare back. She couldn't see his reflection in the fogged up mirror in front of her but yet he was present. Miura brought his lips close to her ear and she shuttered, listening to his smooth voice. It was inaudible, still, but the sensation it gave her ran up and down her spine.

"Don't tell me you were going to cut off this luscious hair, Sakura. Why would you do such a thing?" Miura's fingers entangled their way through the strands, and the pull of it forced her head back to his shoulder.

He breathed in. She felt the rise of his chest on her back. Wearing nothing but a towel, Sakura stiffened at the contact and closed her eyes. She clutched the towel with both hands refusing to remove them from the spot. She hoped he wouldn't...

Hope with all her might he wouldn't force her...

As he breathed out he cooed, "you smell wonderful; your scent, its entrancing."

_Please, no..._

"What are you doing in here?" Sakura asked_,_ voice no louder than a whisper. Quickly she scanned her washroom for anything that could be used as a weapon.

Miura smiled, "I came to say goodbye."

Her heart jumped._ Goodbye?_

"Not forever, of course." Miura finished. "You see, I have to go back and recharge for a couple of days, holding this form is too much for me right now."

"You're going back to the land of Key?" Sakura's green eyes flickered. But this basically translated into, 'thank god, I'll take this chance to come up with a plan.'

He nodded with a seductive smile playing on his lips. He leaned in and planted a kiss on her right cheek. "I hope you won't be a bad girl while I'm away. I'll be human the whole time until I get back to the land of Key. I can trust you right, Sakura?"

"Mm." She muttered.

With a satisfied nod, Miura turned his back to leave. "And oh! I've almost forgotten. There is that party tomorrow night, am I correct? Send my regards to the birthday girl and don't have too much fun without me." He winked.

She shuttered.

* * *

sasusaku next chapter :)

r&r thanks.


	17. Chapter 17

**Never Too Late  
**

**.**

_Click click click..._

Even as she walked, people stared at the beautiful young woman with bouncy pink loose curls and a navy blue fitted dress. She didn't know why they watched, perhaps it was a little too much for this party, but why would she care if Ino was the one who dressed her up?

_"Put it on." Ino said, forcing the dress into Sakura's hands._

_Sakura sighed, "Ino, please. I think this is a little too..." Before finishing, Sakura eyed the thigh length dress and scrutinized it. _

_"Put it on, you freak! And sit down, I'm doing your hair."_

_The pink haired girl sighed, reluctant to be playing dress up. _

_"I don't understand why you're dressing _me_ up when it's _your_ party."_

_Ino dropped the pastel strands that she was teasing and went to face her best friend. "Listen Sakura. When you came back, you looked like a zombie, your hair was black - not to mention it was a horrific dye job-, and you've been going all emo on me. So please, as my best friend, just cooperate and trust me, okay? I want the best for you and I want to see you happy. So take my party as an excuse to have fun and forget about everything."_

_This earned a small smile from Sakura and she relaxed and let Ino finish with the rest of the teasing and curling. _

_"So tell me about Miura. He's cute and all but he seems a bit odd."_

_As Sakura went to open her mouth about it, her body went numb and her voice cracked into small whimpers. Ino eyed this gesture and brushed it aside: "You really are a freak, you know that?"_

It was a dim hall. Spots of light illuminated certain parts of this place: the _open_ bar, the restaurant and seating and the dance floor. Sakura pulled the hem of the dress down as it threatened to roll further up. The seats were starting to get filled up as more and more people arrived, but so far she couldn't see anyone she recognized. Throwing the waves of pink over to one shoulder, her eyes searched for Ino and found her at the door greeting people as they came._ Damn, she's busy... _

Sakura didn't know what Ino did to her but her skin shimmered under the spots of light. The sweetheart neckline accentuated her chest_, _but the dress was neither reveling or distasteful for the three quarter length sleeves balanced with the short length of the dress. Sexy and feminine was what Ino called it and with a hint of classiness too.

Suddenly_, _the rosette started to feel nervous as the lights dimmed even more. And without knowing why, she rushed to the bar and claimed a stool.

The bartender looked shocked for a second watching as this beautiful young lady sat by herself. He cleared his throat to gain her attention and when she did, green eyes lined with dark lashes flickered to him.

"Uh, what can I get you?"

Sakura paused for a second. "Anything."

He looked confused.

She restated her order upon noticing his reluctance, "um, vodka please."

_Maybe coming to Ino's party was a bad idea..._ She thought as the bartender placed a shot glass on the counter in front of her. He poured the clear liquid and right away she snatched it from the surface and took the first gulp.

"Another." She commanded. He did what he was told and she quickly took the other one.

She didn't feel anything yet, but as the music started and people got up to dance, her mood was simply uplifted. _Actually, this isn't so bad. _After the third shot, Sakura was tipsy but still in her right mind. She gracefully thanked the bartender and went off to find Ino. After forcing herself through some people, the blond was seen at a table with a few unrecognizable people around her.

"Hey girl!" Ino greeted, and stood up to gave Sakura a hug and a small kiss on her cheek. Within proximity, Ino smelled the alcohol on Sakura's breath, "Woo, already had a head start with out me? Here let's take another shot together!"

In the crowd of people, Naruto and Sasuke, stood watching Sakura and her new facade. She looked... happy for once.

"Sakura!" Naruto called, despite the loud music, Sakura heard his voice and turned to his direction. The fourth shot had her. "Naruto!" Sakura greeted back with a wide grin. The two boys were surprised at her behaviour. She ran over and threw a hug on him and then went on to hug Sasuke.

Ino laughed, "Sasuke, you actually came!"

"Hn." Came the solid reply.

"Alright boys, I'll leave you with her." Ino said with a wink. "My job here is done!"

Sakura let go of the tense Uchiha and pulled Naruto to the bar. Sasuke followed nonchalantly.

At this point, Sakura had let herself be entranced by the party atmosphere. Her cheeks glowed pink on her white skin, giving her a more lively look.

_Forget everything..._ Sakura chanted.

Smiling once again to the bartender, he smirked at the fact that she had brought two more with her. "Shots for them too please!" She chimed. When she got hers she looked on over to Sasuke who politely refused the drink. Naruto cooed, "C'mon, Sasuke! Take one for team 7!" He took just one and refused the rest. It was a happy time and enjoyment flooded her senses. Not wanting to spoil the mood, she ignored Sasuke and continued to drink with Naruto who then, eventually became as drunk as her.

"I'm so _sososo_ sorry Naruto, I was so caught up in everything, I just couldn't-" She felt a bubble of gas threatening to erupt from her throat. "I just couldn't..." she said again and released it silently to save her lady-like etiquette. "It was so much to handle at the same time, I was so confused and I, and I... didn't know what I was doing!" Sakura pouted like a little girl and Naruto gave her a hug.

"Don't worry about it!" Naruto hiccuped, "Just as long as you came back to us, we're happy! Now aren't we Sasuke?" Naruto went to give Sasuke props but the uninterested Uchiha simply batted the fist away.

"Hey Sakura, come dance with us!" Called Tenten from across the dancefloor. Instantly, Sakura was on her feet, letting the people pull her onto the dance floor.

This was the one night that she didn't have to give a fuck about. She downed more drinks, taking shots with more people that recognized her. The feeling of _family_ finally set in since the longest time. This was what she needed: friends, music, and _alcohol_. It had been 2 hours since the party started and everyone was in celebration mode, drinking, laughing, and dancing.

"Hey, teme." Naruto poked grinning sheepishly, "Sakura's beginning to turn into her old self, dontcha think? I love drunk Saku- Saku- Sakura..." He was slurring his words, but smiling nonetheless.

Sasuke frowned at his best friend as he sat there at the bar as sober as he could ever be. "Don't you dare throw up on me, dobe." He growled. After taking his eyes off her for a second to glare at Naruto, Sakura disappeared. And he stood up automatically to scan the area for her.

_She was right there a second ago._

He walked around, annoyed that people were bumping into him either by being drunk or dancing and he cursed under his breath. He figured, she might be outside to get some fresh air and so he followed his instincts and ventured out into the warm night.

It was dramatically quieter and breathable out there at the back of the venue. Why he went out this way, he didn't know, but realized he as on the right track when he found a hot pink high heeled shoe by the dumpster.

He examined the shoe bitterly and frowned knowing his pink haired team mate was venturing to god knows where without one shoe. After shaking his head, he heard an '_Ugh!_' and an _'Ouch! That hurts!" _And kept his eyes open for a destructive girl.

The sudden crash of a fallen trashcan sent his attention behind him and coolly he followed the sound. A string of profanities were heard after. It was Sakura, quite obviously.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, not really caring about her answer. He expected drunken mumbles anyway.

The sound of his voice shook her from her path of kicking trashcans and she turned around wearily to see him staring back at her with that demeaning look.

"None of your business," she snapped. She then continued to kick more garbage cans down with the heeled foot.

Sasuke sighed. "Let me take you home."

She pouted, "But Sasuke! I don't want to go home yet. I don't want to... I don't want to..." _Face reality._ Her body swayed and when she saw her shoe in his hand she pointed in awe and proceeded to talk to the shoe affectionately.

She gasped in wonder, "oh! Shoe! That's where you have been hiding! You were with Sasuke all along!" She took it out of his hold and slipped it back onto her foot.

If she wasn't so wasted Sasuke would have thought her talking to inanimate objects was actually kind of cute. She looked so oblivious and naive, who would have thought she was going through so much pain?

"Come on, I'm taking you home now." He grabbed her wrist and gave her a tug to follow.

"No! Let go of me! I'm not leaving yet!"

"Yes you are. You've had a lot to drink."

She attempted to pull her arm free and run off the other way but that backfired when she flung back hard into his chest. He caught her in a way that both his arms were wrapped around her tightly. They paused.

In the air was nothing but warmth and freshness. The stars sparkled brightly, twinkling as bright as the moon. When she was pressed up against his chest, she didn't fight, her reflexes weren't to push away, but instead she stayed, lingering in his warmth.

He felt her take a deep breath. And she felt him do the same.

Suddenly Sakura felt his hands on her shoulders pushing her off of him. And when she squinted to get a better look at his face, he seemed disappointed, almost upset.

"I don't think your boyfriend would approve of this." Sasuke said quietly.

Innocently, she tilted her head in confusion: "huh?"

When she didn't comprehend Sasuke said the name harshly as if the very nature of it was taboo. "Miura, he won't like this."

Sakura felt the gut wrenching pain that she managed to forget about come rushing back and a fit of hysteria almost broke through. "I hate him. I hate him so much!" She yelled. "Don't say his name again!"

This, of course, earned a suspicious look from the him. The obsidian orbs flashed in her direction, waiting for her to elaborate. But she ended up turning to walk away.

"Sakura." He scolded.

"Don't follow me!" She hissed. But of course he did.

Still as wasted as she had ever been, she mumbled walking down the entertainment district. Some people noticed her and whistled but stopped immediately when the Uchiha glared. Despite the hours of the night, people were still up and about in the streets, in clubs and bars.

The rosette just kept walking without any regard for a destination. In her mind, she was trying to lose the Uchiha and it didn't occur to her that you couldn't lose a ninja just by out running them. Sasuke almost laughed at her attempt.

She slowed down by her apartment building and leaned against the brick wall in exhaustion.

He thought he'd try again. "I bet Miura would want you to go inside and rest."

Bingo.

She flung up and almost attacked the surprised Sasuke.

"Would you _stop?_ I told you not to mention him!"

Sasuke shifted his weight to the other leg and put his hands in his pockets. "Why?" He asked simply. Sasuke peered at her, analyzing her face.

Her eyes narrowed as she hissed through clenched teeth, "he..." Sakura took a seat on the ledge and kicked the heels off. He noticed the quivering of her voice, the way it fluctuated from merely speaking. "He..." She said again, "...was the one who killed my parents."

* * *

.

Dun dun dun... loop holes!

I was gonna continue with this chapter to make it extra extra long, but my mind needs a break and my biology homework has to get done :'(

But next chapter will be up soon, so you know the drill ;)

r&r thankssss


	18. Chapter 18

**Never Too Late**

.

Just when she looked like she was going to cry, Sakura flung her head back into laughter. The sound of it echoed in the alleys, the high pitch of it sliced the dark silence in half.

The Uchiha looked on in confusion; had she gone crazy?

She giggled uncontrollably and between fits of laughter, she struggled for air, gasping and coughing.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted and casually walked over to her and scooped her up in his arms, bridal style.

When he did, her eyes grew instantly wide with surprise. "Eh? Sasuke...! Put me down!" She flailed.

"Stop being difficult, where are your keys." He snapped. Sakura froze under his tone and motioned beneath them.

"Under the mat." Came the curt reply.

* * *

As soon as he had set her down on her bed, he was sure the rosette had fallen asleep within the 5 meter walk from the door to her bed. She grunted as she tossed and turned into those cotton blankets. Her face was twisted in discomfort, the pink eyebrows pressing downwards to her closed eyes.

Sasuke's motive was leave quickly. He had been the one to command her to rest and he felt his job was done after removing her shoes and leaving a tall glass of water on her nightstand. Of course, halfway in doing so, he realized it was a very un-Sasuke-like thing to do. Since when had he been the one to help drunken girls home? Let alone help remove accessories of clothing and leave water on their nightstand? _Tsk. She's just a walking disaster anyway. If I didn't, she would have woken up in a ditch._

Yeah boy, keep telling yourself this.

As he reached for the doorknob, a light airy voice filled his ears and paralyzed his body.

"Sasuke." She chimed.

She was rubbing her eyes and squinted at him as if she couldn't make out who he was.

"Go back to sleep, Sakura."

She shook her head.

It was very late into the night and Sasuke knew he had over stayed his welcome.

"Sasuke," she tried again, her eyes fell to the floor where she blinked to keep her eyes open. "I'm... I'm so lonely. I don't know what to do anymore." She laughed bitterly and Sasuke sighed. In her sitting position, the upper part of her body swayed as if even sitting posed a threat to her balance. "I just hate him so much."

Now, Sasuke was never one to sit around and talk about his feelings but he turned around to see her staring absently at him... Or through him. The once dazzling emerald eyes were now misty and opaque.

"Then why are you with him?" The words came out more honest to his feelings than he imagined. "Leave him."

She heaved a sigh and smirked darkly, "I just wish it was that easy." She cooed, "He'd kill me. And Naruto. And_ you!_"

Sakura stumbled off the bed and attempted to stagger towards him but her foot got trapped at the edge of the rug and she fell over. He caught her.

"How is it that I have the worst luck with men, huh?"

Sasuke felt her body shake with a laugh. He couldn't see her face, but he felt the hot air of her breath at his ear and the smell of alcohol wafting passed his nose. She was still completely, utterly, drunk out of her mind.

"Do you even know what you're saying? You're not making sense." Came the reply from the dark haired boy.

"Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about, you never loved me; ignored me, pushed me away." Sakura chuckled again and sighed, "But I don't care about that anymore, Sasuke. Because... because... I managed to get over you and I realized that when that day comes where you find another woman worth your time and attention, I'll be happy for you and you two can just go about having your cute little sharingan-eyed babies and I'll just... be little old auntie Sakura, babysitting the kids when you have to go out on missions and all that."

She was smiling to herself:_ I'm so stupid. Why do I have to tell him all this? Why is it still all flooding out? I thought I was over him already..._

Because alcohol makes you brave.

_Closure, that's all I want. Time to let go of him, no more Sasuke._

"I'll be okay. Trust me."_  
_

With a small frown, he held her elbow and forearms tightly. _You're so stupid, Sakura._

Sasuke pushed all her rambling aside and proceeded to interrogate her about what she had mentioned before, "No. What were you saying about him... killing_ me._" The idea of it was preposterous. How could anyone defeat Sasuke? He had killed Itachi and one of the great legendary Sannin, Orochimaru. Sasuke was unbelievably strong and possessive unfathomable power. He was sure she knew knew that, so why was she going on about some waiter having the power to end them all?

"Oh! How silly of me." She laughed, pushing her smaller frame off him, "If I don't do what he says he can kill me, us, the whole fucking village if he wanted to. So I have to keep being good ol' goody two shoes Sakura in order to keep us alive." She admitted, but her heart sank and so did her stare. Her sight followed the intricate patterns on her carpet. "But it hurts so much... You know? He hurts me everyday and he never leaves me alone."

"Keep talking Sakura." The Uchiha said. Now he knew his suspicions were correct all along."Where did you meet him?"

"Land of Key... Man, I want to lie down."

He let her and followed her more into the space of her room.

"What's he capable of, his specialties?"

Like a child, Sakura, still high off of her intoxication, leaned in and whispered quietly as if the walls were listening. Reluctantly he followed suit and leaned in also. With the hot air at his ear she whispered, "he could read my mind; he knows what I'm thinking!" She blinked a few times to get her vision straight and continued to play the_ secret_ game with Sasuke. "He has incredible strength and he shifts from his human form to his demon form. He's such a creepy guy. But don't tell anyone I told you or I'm going to get in _a lot_ of trouble."

At this point, Sakura should have been aware that she was _able_ to tell Sasuke. What gives?

Sasuke leaned back into original position and scrutinized her. Was his best source a drunken Sakura? It seemed like she was just spewing fantasy tales from the corners of her mind.

"And he put this curse on me so when I mention him my body goes all numb and I can't talk. Oh, you remember right, Sasuke? It happened to me at the training grounds and you... and you... left me." Her eyes fell to the ground and she sighed, "I really tried, you know?"

"So those markings on your arm..." He stated quietly, ignoring her obvious discontent.

"Huh?" She said and then it was followed by a: "Oh yeah, they're fading and it doesn't hurt anymore but I don't really know why Miura put this on me. He did say something about his blood running through my body, though; it's our contact, our connection. I signed a blood seal with him, that's why I'm stuck to him but he's just using me... to get... to ... the scroll."

The rosette's eyes started to close as the strings of sleep pulled on her eyelids.

"Hey Sakura! Wake up, I'm not done with you yet! Wake up!"

Sakura turned on her side, away from the Uchiha. "It doesn't matter, Sasuke." She mumbled, "you don't believe me anyway."

"I believe you, Sakura. So just wake up. Tell me about the scroll!" He growled, impatiently.

"Why?" She defended, "What are _you_ going to do about it?"

"I'll fix everything."

"You don't understand, Sasuke. He's stronger than anyone we've ever met before, even I can't..."

Sasuke stood up tall and proceeded to the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Where do you think." He replied.

She glowered, getting to her feet in an instant. She ran to him and shut the door with a slam, almost trapping his fingers in the door.

"Sakura!" He hissed.

"No!" She yelled. Her expression hardened, her eyes were narrow with hurt and stress. "Please, don't get yourself involved. I'm caught, and I can't get away from him!-"

He caught her shoulders and pushed her against the wall. His eyes were full of hurt. "Let me help you!"

She clutched is collar, her fists tight at his neck and stared up into the obsidian orbs above her. "You don't understand! I'm fucked! There's nothing I can do, so save yourself and just leave me alone!"

"I know how you feel Sakura! Everything that's happened to you so far... I don't want you to make the same mistakes that I did!"

"It's too late Sasuke!"

His fingers dug into her skin and he growled, "Sakura, it's never too late!"

She paused and looked away in the angle that her lashes covered her eyes. "I know you lost them when you were young, Sasuke." She whispered.

"What?"

"...Your parents. And now I know how it feels when something like that happens..."

Sakura let him go and ungracefully staggered back to her bed. He followed her.

Sasuke didn't say anything.

"I watched them die, Sasuke. I watched him tear them apart, limb by limb. And I was so helpless and distraught, no matter how hard I tried to fight back, he took me down, over and over and over... and over... and over..."

He watched the tears form in her eyes. "And now, I'm stuck with him and I have to be his _bride_. How can I live with that? I'm so disgusted with myself, I can't even face you or Naruto or even myself!"

Louder and louder she sobbed. The sound hard against her voice. "And I have no one to blame but myself."

He watched her cry and muttered her name, not knowing what to do. "Sakura..."

And then he gave in. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her into a protective embrace and rested his chin on her head. Pale fingers intertwined themselves in the waves of pink, and he couldn't help but inhale her scent. She grabbed at his shirt, crying and shaking as the tears fell. She hadn't cried in so long: the pressure finally broke.

He rubbed her back with a solemn expression and sighed as the wetness of her tears soaked through his shirt.

"Shh..." He soothed. "Let me help you."

First she shook her head, still sniffling then she started to pull away. Sasuke frowned at this but then felt her arms wrap around his own neck, pulling him down to her bed. Without any resistance, he let her lead and they laid there, her head nuzzled in the nook of his neck, and his arms around her waist.

They were quiet now as they held each other. The air in the room was constant, the pressure and stress now released. She sighed again, but this time, the air of it was calmer and more relieved.

"I won't remember this in the morning... Sasuke." She whispered, "but... thank you."

He didn't know what happened but he knew that things had to change.

He had excepted it now because there was no denying it anymore.

Sasuke was in love.

* * *

r&r

thank you :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Never Too Late**

.

Sakura's eyes opened slowly. The colours in her head pestered her to make sense of them, but nothing stuck. Her head throbbed with a viscous pounding like a hammer to a nail.

Suddenly, the tightening around her waist pulled further into her skin. She gasped silently, her eyes shot open and her muscles tense. In an instant she struck the figure with her elbow and grabbed a kunai from underneath her pillow, holding it against the pale neck.

"Sakura!" He hissed.

"What are you doing here! What did you do to me!" She stared into pools of onyx until a jolt to her head shot her back; a blaring headache. The after effects of the alcohol left her in a melting pot of nausea and pain. It took her a few seconds to realize that the stranger was none other than Sasuke. A very worried-looking one at that.

"Stop fussing around like that! You're going to knock yourself out!" He growled, the huskiness of his voice still lingering from the sleep.

"No!" She cried hysterically, "I want to know why _you_ are in _my_ bed!"

He stared back already knowing that this was going to be her reaction. He should have countered before hand because the spot on his chest where she elbowed him was still throbbing. _Fuck, that hurt._

"So you don't remember anything at all then." He said hiding a frown.

"Remember what?" She snapped.

He sighed, "Nevermind Sakura, I'll explain later after you-" Sasuke eyed her very exposed cleavage and leopard print bra peeking over the sweet-heart neckline of her dress. He sighed again, "-change."

Dumbfounded, the rosette took a peek down and gasped, throwing her arms across her chest to hide herself. Sasuke scoffed. "Listen Sasuke," she threatened, "I don't know what happened last night that made me end up in bed with you but- but-!" Suddenly she took a dash to the washroom, throwing the door shut behind her.

The Uchiha sighed, running his fingers through his midnight strands. He heard coughing and _other_ unpleasant sounds. He straightened out his shirt and followed the very _unladylike_ sounds to the bathroom door.

Bringing up a fist, he knocked twice asking if she was okay.

She grunted, mid-puke. "Ugh, go away Sasuke!"

After the flush of the toilet was heard, Sakura opened the door and Sasuke stood in the doorway acting as a barrier. She disregarded him and threw open the dresser for some clothes.

"Will you let me explain?"

Her hangover sent her into another wave of nausea. Almost throwing up the rest of last night's dinner along with the vodka and tequila. Sakura was certainly in no mood to deal with anything.

She shot him a look. "What is there to explain? You took advantage of a drunk girl!" She said throwing her clothes around harshly. " I can't believe it Sasuke! I never knew you were like that-" Within a second her eyes widened and she drew a sharp breath. The rosette whipped around to face him as he leaned in the doorway nonchalantly. "We didn't... Did we?"

He raised an eyebrow, inquiringly. Since the expression was open to her interpretation, her panic seeped through.

"Sasuke...!" She hissed when he didn't respond, "Did. We. Do. It?"

"Sakura."

She was ready to throw her fist at him, pulling back her arm to initiate a hit. "Did we have sex, Sasuke!"

"No! And calm down will you?" He growled holding onto her wrist.

Sakura took a few deep breaths upon hearing those words. "Okay... I apologize. But could you explain why were you in my bed... with me?"

Sasuke had already tried to answer that question but Sakura never really gave him the time to explain. But what was he going to say? Straight out, I love you? I want to be with you?

He crossed his arms in front of his chest and proceeded to tell her in a very disinterested voice. "You were drunk, Sakura, and you would have gotten yourself into a lot of trouble if I left you alone. But, judging by your reaction you don't seem to remember what we talked about."

Her pastel coloured eyebrows arched downwards in thought. "I don't remember a thing."

The Uchiha once again masked a frown. "Well, let's just say you told me a lot about _him_."

"_Him?_" She repeated suddenly finding this conversation very suspicious. "Who?"

He didn't have to say anything else for she was already walking up to him in comfrontation. She caught the drift. "How could I tell you? That's not possible, Sasuke!" She said in utmost disbelief. She shook her head, "Considering, I _can't_ tell, I physically _can't!_"

"Well you did."

Her eyes fell. "So then, how much did I tell you about Miur-" Then with a gasp, it struck her. The numbness that suppressed her muscles and vocal chords, the very curse that prohibited her from gossiping about Miura, the silver-eyed demon.

Sasuke observed the curse, finally seeing the effect first hand.

When the phase passed, she clutched at her chest where her heart was beating and breathed normally once again. "_I told you..._" She whispered, turning her back to him.

"Hn."

"But." She continued, her voice minimizing to barely a whisper, "there must have been something different last night. About me, I mean. Maybe there was some sort of loophole."

"I know I can't ask you to tell me what he said about this curse, that won't work." Sasuke thought out loud; talking more than usual, more interested than he would normally be about these things. Sakura noted. The Uchiha glanced out her window where the sun was streaming in. "And you said you couldn't remember anything..."

"Nothing at all." She intervened.

"...Then its most likely a jutsu that relies on the consciousness of the mind."

Sakura thought back to where Miura described the circumstance of the curse. Something in her jolted upon remembering the conversation: _"...My mark, reads your **conscious mind** and inhibits any thoughts about me before you can even say it out loud."_

Maybe that was it. She glanced at Sasuke, the light flickering on in her eyes. And he new that he hit the target.

"So what? Does that mean I have to get wasted in order to talk about you know who?" She inquired.

Sasuke shrugged, passively, "That or drugs."_  
_

"Right..." The rosette nodded. "But, how much did I tell you exactly?"

_Enough to make me want to rip out his spinal chord._ Sasuke thought but didn't say it aloud. "Enough."

"Just, don't get yourself involved, Sasuke. Its dangerous and just forget about it. Regardless, its my problem and I can handle it myself."

"Hn. That's not what it seemed like last night."

Her cheeks turned a slight pink from a blush. She didn't know what had went on last night but she figured it was probably an act of self humiliation on her part. Oh, how she hated her moments of self-pity.

"Anyway, I have to go see Tsunade today." She sighed, "God knows what kind of delinquent punishment she's going to have for me today."

"I'll go with you." Sasuke stated.

Massaging her sore shoulder, Sakura went to sit back on her bed. "Why?"

"I'll tell Tsunade about your circumstances."

Sakura stopped herself from asking 'why' again for his concern was really making her suspicious. She sighed, "I don't think that will do anything for me anyways. I lied to her, went against the village, and her trust. Tsunade's nice and everything but she can really be a hardass. I bet she feels immensely betrayed. I wouldn't forgive myself either."

* * *

Standing in her office made her feel nervous as hell. Though, Tsunade looked neither mad or annoyed, just uninterested. Perhaps that was the source of her anxiety. Why wasn't Tsunade shouting obscenities like she normally would?

Sakura stood still like a statue and uttered no sounds until instructed.

After the last of the paper work was stamped and thrown into the opposite pile, Tsunade glanced at Sasuke and raised an eyebrow. "Why are _you_ here?" But she didn't let him speak for she went on immediately to call on Sakura.

"Haruno, Sakura." Her voice boomed and shook the petite figure inside out, "Have you felt your punishment was adequate? In other words, have you learned your lesson?"

She nodded.

"Lucky for you, I'm pulling you out of criminal status and putting you back in the hospital. We need you. A squad of ANBU personnel turned up severely injured and some even dead in the hospital lobby last night. Head to emergency and treat them immediately."

"Yes, Tsunade." She answered obediently. "But, may I ask, what happened to them? What kind of mission were they on?"

The Hokage rubbed her temples irritatedly and frowned upon remembering the situation. "They were on their way back from the Land of Key and ran into an obstacle."

_Obstacle?_

"My oh my, our association with the Land of Key has certainly brought us quite a bit of misfortune, don't you think? Especially in the last couple of weeks, I might add." Sakura knew Tsunade was talking about her and frowned.

"What kind of obstacle, Tsunade?"

"A man." Came the reply, "here is the report from the ANBU witnesses."

Sakura accepted the documents and flipped though the pages curiously as Tsunade continued to talk.

"Dark hair, and very piercing grey eyes... Almost demonic." Tsunade recited as Sakura followed along reading the text description. "The ANBU had a tough time dealing with him; he could cause some trouble in the future if we don't prepare ourselves."

Suddenly, Sakura's hands began to shake. When she flipped to the next page, the face staring back at her almost gave her a heart attack. The sketch of the artist's impression etched out a very wicked looking Miura staring back at her.

Hiding her discomfort, Sakura proceeded to ask: "He... He got away...? The ANBU couldn't take him down?"

Tsunade growled, "he took down six of our ANBU, Sakura. He was simply too much for us at the moment."

_Too much for six ANBU?_

What the fuck was she supposed to do then? If Miura took down six of Konoha's best, how was there any hope for her?

"I don't suppose you know anything about this. Do you Sakura?" Tsunade questioned.

As if Sakura could speak about it.

"May I have a word with you?" Sasuke said to Tsunade, finally jumping into the scene.

Tsunade peered to Sasuke then to the disheartened girl. "Fine." She announced, "Sakura, you are dismissed."

As the rosette turned to leave, there was a huge lump in her throat, a heavy rock in the pit of her stomach and the inevitable fear in her heart knowing that Miura was still around and as gruesome as he ever was. She swallowed nervously, clenching the document in her fist.

It was only a matter of time before Miura would return and she would have to act quickly.

Tsunade had granted her freedom and now she had to use it to get to the scroll and end this once and for all. She'd take the scroll and leave as fast as she could, right under their noses.

Time was at the essence and no one was going to interfere.

Not even Sasuke.

* * *

r&r

thank you


	20. Chapter 20

**Never Too Late**

**.**

"Sakura!"Shizune called from across the room, "His heart rate is declining fast, I need your help!"

Dropping the hand of a deceased man the pink haired girl darted across the room and drew her hands, glowing in green, to the chest of the injured ninja.

"You can do it Sakura!" Shizune chanted. Concentrating the last bit of her energy to the ninja, the beeping of the heart monitor became increasingly steadier. "You're doing it!" The man's chest began heaving up and down as sounds of life returned. He grunted and then coughed. "You're a life saver, Sakura!"

Exhausted, the rosette's hands fell to her sides and she leaned against the wall for support. It had been a while since she used her chakra like that.

"That's the last of them, Sakura. Out of the 6 you've managed to save 4 despite the odds. Well done!"

Shizune was always a fountain of compliments but Sakura didn't feel worthy of them at that moment. She spun on her heel and left the room in an instant without so much as a passing glance.

"Eh? Sakura, where are you going?"

Why couldn't people understand that she just didn't want to associate anymore? Sure, life being a criminal wasn't better, but she sure couldn't bring herself to face all these people so early. She was guilty, and they all had forgiven her all too easily. Being with everyone made her second guess her options and that certainly could not do.

Ino's birthday was an exception. Miura wasn't there.

Which lead her to realize that Miura was going to be back very, very soon. The very thought of it sent shivers down her spine sending her back into her aura of despair.

After signing out in the lobby, the day had already shifted into night with the orange glow melting over the horizon. The seconds passed quickly as the sunset subsided behind the distant mountains. As night washed over she silently said her goodbyes to her freedom.

Sakura knew Miura would _greet_ her upon his return and that meant she needed to stay on her toes and stay alert. What a nuisance he was.

Earlier in the day she heard news of Naruto's short mission to the Sound and that meant a week of absence from the blond. And so Sakura was going to break into his apartment and steal the map to the underground labyrinth. He never locked his door and the window was always open. Ironically, it was as easy as just walking in, taking what she needed and walking out. Easy.

She lingered in the shadows and ventured across the village to his apartment. And sure enough, with the turn of the knob, the door opened with a satisfying ease.

His wooden floors creaked as they supported her weight. She didn't linger long. After tossing aside some of his clothes to the floor, she found the map rolled up in the back pocket of his jumpsuit. Sakura took a glance behind her shoulder to double check just in case. Her paranoia was getting the better of her. Tucking the paper into her back fanny pack, she turned to leave the way she came.

When the door clicked shut, she sighed and skipped down the steps to the street.

"He's not home." Came the smooth baritone voice.

Her heart stopped and she threw a kunai to the presence lingering in the shadow. It hit to the left of his head and she scowled.

"But I don't think you were looking for him."

"None of your business, Sasuke." She snapped. "Were you following me?"

He smirked, "I just found it a bit odd that you were venturing so far east to the dobe's place even though you _knew_ he wasn't home."

The rosette walked passed him abruptly. "Don't you have anything better to do than to follow me around?" She said within earshot.

"Hn. Sakura you're coming with me."

"What? To where?"

"My apartment."

"Your what? _Why? _I can't believe you, Sasuke! As if I'd get into bed with you again!"

Sasuke sighed on cue and his teasing mood dissipated leaving him in annoyance. "You're annoying. I'm not going to sleep with you, Sakura. I want you to tell me more about _him._" He said matter-of-factly.

"Sasuke, you know I can't-"

Before she couldn't finish her retort, in an instant Sasuke flung towards her and she stumbled back in surprise. Sasuke caught her and held her weight bridal-style as she kicked and thrashed in his arms. He flew from roof to roof as his apartment grew nearer in distance.

"Ack! Let go of me! Sasuke, let go this instant!"

She kicked. She punched. _Damn her strength!_ He cursed after she managed to shove her palm into his cheek.

"Would you stop that?" He hissed, "this is going to be for the better! Cooperate will you?"

"This is kidnapping, Sasuke!"

Upon landing at the balcony of his apartment, he set her down softly and she hesitantly lingered there even after he had opened the door for her.

"Come in."

"I'm not going in. Why can't you understand-"

"I'm sick of your protests, Sakura! At least let me try!" He grabbed her wrist, pulled her and she stumbled in. _He's always so forceful._ She thought rubbing her wrist.

"Fine. But you better have a good reason for dragging me here." She watched with reluctance as he strode across his living room to turn a single lamp on. His apartment was bigger than hers and very spacious. The furniture was all the same deep onyx colour and curtains blew gracefully in the warm breeze.

"Are you just going to stand there all night?" His question jerked her from her thoughts. "Come. Sit down."

When she eased herself on his black leather couch, Sasuke sat directly across the coffee table from her and set down two tall bottles of clear liquid.

"What are those?" She asked, the worry was setting in. What the hell was he planning?

He popped open the bottle and the smell rose up and burned her nose. Pouring the clear liquid into the small glass, he pushed one across the table to her. "Drink."

Her eyes widened, "You're getting me _drunk?_"

"As of yet, this is the only way to pry the information off you."

"You can't make me."

"Stop being so difficult, Sakura. If it makes you more comfortable, I'll take the first one with you." The Uchiha said pouring himself a shot as well.

She clutched the fabric of her medical skirt tightly and evaluated the options carefully. Surely, one way or another, Sasuke would manage a way to get her to drink. And there was no way she could fake it in front of him. So she decided one shot wouldn't hurt. "Okay." Sakura agreed, picking up the tiny glass with her forefinger and thumb. _Drink one or two and fake being drunk. He would believe that right?_ _I just have to keep my self control intact._

With a slight nod to signal her approval, both Sakura and Sasuke downed the first one. And immediately, he refilled her glass leaving his empty.

"Take the second one with me too." Sakura commanded. Raising an eyebrow, the Uchiha did so to avoid any of her complaining.

They took the next shot together. Within seconds she become lightheaded, the colours hazing in front of her eyes. He then proceeded to pour her another, but her hands shot out to his and stopped him. _He's going way too fast, I might lose myself._

"...Too fast." She muttered.

"Are you going to throw up? Do you need a chaser?"

She shook her head, "No, but can you give me a minute?"

The Uchiha nodded slightly, preparing her third round.

Sakura stared at the alcohol impassively prolonging the time before her next drink. "Can I ask you something Sasuke?"

"What is it, Sakura." He said monotonously.

She cleared her throat before proceeding. She smiled slightly, bringing a piece of her luscious hair behind her ears. The rosette's cheeks matched her hair as the affects of alcohol were present. The world forgot she was pretty. "Why... do you want to help me?" Without giving him time to answer she quickly continued, "I mean, I appreciate your efforts but to be honest, you wouldn't have done this for me before. I'm just making an observation."

He sighed. "The answer would confuse you."

"Pft. Do you really think I'm _that_ inadequate? How complicated could it be?" Sakura mocked.

"It's just not the right time. Now drink."

Sakura hesitantly reached for the drink and searched her mind for more questions to distract him. And then she found the question that she was itching to ask since the morning: "What did Tsunade say about my situation? Did she believe you?"

Sasuke eyed the drink that was still in her fingers. "No. She needed more proof and said I was just covering for you."

Her gaze fell to her lap and she whispered, "oh." Sasuke had poured a larger amount into her glass this time. She guessed he caught on to her reluctance but she downed it nonetheless.

"No more." She whispered.

"One more." He insisted.

"Actually... Sasuke, I think... I think I'm feeling it." She tried her best to fool him into thinking she was drunk. "That's enough."

The look in his eyes signified he didn't quite believe her but she was scared because she drank more than she wanted to. As of yet, three shots only made her feel a bit sluggish, but her mind was still intact. Now she had to find a way to escape because any longer and the alcohol would really kick in.

"If you're feeling it, then one more wouldn't hurt. Besides, I saw you take much more than three shots at the party."

_Shit._

She bit her lip and caved. "Okay fine."

He poured the last drink of which she took note that it was equivalent to two shots. He was really pushing it, wasn't he? She threw him a glare and he ignored it. It took her two gulps to finish what was in the glass. After it seared down her throat, she coughed.

She had to find a way out and soon.

But Sasuke was watching her like a hawk.

They sat in silence and it didn't seem like it bothered Sasuke at all. He always seemed to be in deep thought. Those signature midnight bangs framed his pale face gracefully, making him look almost mystic in the moonlight. The lips were pursed in a straight line and the eyes were the darkest she had ever seen them but they were still as entrancing as ever.

And then she thought how ridiculous it all was. She didn't know his plan but he was certainly very suspicious in his actions.

Breaking the silence, she muttered, "Could I use your bathroom?"

He stared at first and then motioned to the room down the hall. "Be quick."

The rosette realized that when she walked down the hall, her vision was suddenly disrupted and her body was lagging despite her will. Not good.

She shut herself in the washroom and set her hands on the sides of the sink to keep her balance. Glancing to meet her reflection, she noticed luck was on her side. The window was small but she knew was able to fit through it with her petite frame. _Yes!_ Quickly she turned on the tap to drown out any sounds of her escape. Blessed with inhuman strength, she dislodged the window frame without breaking it and slipped out into the night.

Sasuke would not be pleased. But she didn't care. She ran and ran and ran.

Her feet could only carry her so fast. The paranoia of getting caught was breathing down her neck and panic was settling in. The smartest place to hide was probably somewhere that Sasuke wouldn't suspect. It wasn't a smart move when her feet brought her to the doorstep of her own apartment. Regardless, she flew in and locked the doors and threw the curtains shut. Sakura kept the lighting to a minimal, only lighting a single candle.

She laid silently in her bed waiting for her heartbeat to slow and the room to stop spinning.

She was drunk and powerless.

_Fuck._ She cursed inwardly biting her bottom lip. All she felt was numbness.

But when she felt cold arms wrap themselves around her waist from behind her, she realized she was no longer alone. "Sas- Sasuke...?" She feared. Not wanting to turned around, she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Try again." Miura cooed, voice low and husky into her ear, "maybe you should have found a better hiding spot... Did you miss me?"

* * *

r&r thank you


	21. Chapter 21

**Never Too Late**

**.**

He pinned her to the bed, both hands wrapped tightly around her wrists. She whimpered in fear, seeing that this demon had truly returned and was certainly right back to his demonic deeds. Slowly, he elevated himself over her smaller frame and pressed his body against hers.

"Stop it!...Please!" she cringed as he gingerly ran his fingers down her body and leaned in to kiss her neck. She squirmed underneath his weight and his strength was immense, locking her body in position underneath him.

"You can't do this!" The rosette grunted, "Stop! Please!"

"Struggling will only make it worse!" He hissed, that hungry grin playing on his lips. She screamed again and he removed his hand from her thigh and covered her mouth to muffle the sounds.

"You're so beautiful." His eyes traced down her body and he took special note of her chest heaving up and down from panic. Delirium took over her senses as the longing to disappear and escape claimed her. She was paralyzed, not fully understanding what was happening in the midst of the intoxication. She pleaded him to stop in her mind but they went unanswered as he maliciously captivated her body.

Suddenly the pressure around her chest was getting lighter as the fabric released itself on her body.

Miura smirked as he fiddled with the zipper of her shirt, tugging down on it slowly.

She fought with him again, thrashing recklessly. He was more than pleased at her reaction, nibbling on the skin of her neck forcefully. He chuckled roughly into her ear and bit lightly into her ear lobe. The demon let out a low moan as she moved against him.

"Stop it right now, or I'll-!"

"You'll what?" Miura smirked, eyes full of lust.

Miura's long slender fingers raked her pink strands, pulling a hand full of that luscious hair to his nose and inhaled dramatically, "You smell so wonderful..."

His eyes then scanned her face: her beautiful jade eyes dazed, and her lips as red as blood. Miura then licked his own lips anticipating her taste once more. He dipped his head to her chin and kissed the skin on her neck, making way to her collar bone. Lower and lower he kissed until he reached the cleavage of her chest. She tensed.

"Please..." She pleaded once more. "This isn't right... You can't!"

Much cautiously now, he traced the sides of her tight waist and pulled the red fabric of her shirt away until the coolness of his finger tips were felt. She tried once again to push him off, fists balled at his chest, and then crossing her arms across her bra. Grinning at her attempt to cover herself, Miura simply yanked both her arms away, exposing her bra and toned midriff.

"You have no idea how much I want you." Miura cooed. "I can hardly contain myself."

Now he gripped at the skin of her thighs, while kissing the skin above her breasts. She bit her lips trying to overcome the agony but screamed as he bit into her skin from excitement.

_Help me, please! Someone! Anyone!_

His kisses were harder and urgent. Sakura panted in fear stopping the tears that were threatening to fall.

_Sasuke..._

And then, the door exploded and the figure stood tall, blue lightening crackling in his palm. Neon sparks casted the demon's shadow onto the wall; the shape was much more frightening in the form of silhouette.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The Uchiha growled, summoning up another wave of chakra to his palm. The famous sharingan was already activated, the blood red spilling into the eyes of the avenger.

"The sharingan, eh."

In desperation, the rosette broke from Miura's grip momentarily and cried,"Run Sasuke! Get away! Now!" before Miura covered her mouth and instantly forced her face to the side, putting her out.

"Now, now. We don't have to be enemies." The demon snarled, "I've heard some wonderful things about you, Uchiha."

Sasuke eyed Sakura's limp exposed body. There were signs of an obvious struggle. With a pang of guilt and worry, the Uchiha prayed that he wasn't too late.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted. "Here's the deal: I kill you and Sakura and I will get on with our lives."

"Brave words for a fool but I don't blame your determination. She really is a beautiful young lady." Miura said, throwing an infatuated glance to the unconscious girl, "it is likely we'll have to fight for her affection. Don't you agree?"

From the looks of it, Sasuke figured the man contained an admirable amount of strength inside him if he got Sakura to obey.

"You don't get it do you?" Sasuke spat. "She despises you." Once again igniting the lightening in his palm, Sasuke dove forward driving the energy into his target. Miura flew back and crashed into the wall cursing under his breath.

Without giving the silver eyed man the chance to rebound, Sasuke pounced on him and threw punches left and right and until Miura managed a lucky hit that sent Sasuke flying into the rosette's dresser. But the blow hurt more than it should have. The demon's chakra had a numbing effect that stung him from the inside. Letting the pain ripple through his body, he showed no signs of discomfort and ignored the pain, getting to his feet in an instant.

"Impressive." Miura breathed realigning his jaw. "I was almost scared for a second there." In that moment, Sasuke had already sent a couple kunai flying in the demon's direction and without flinching Miura simply caught them all and tossed them aside halfheartedly. "How about we talk." Miura suggested.

"Fuck that." Sasuke hissed. "I'm going to end you now."

The demon smiled with a toothy grin. "That's what Sakura said, now look at her."

Still out, Sakura lay still on her bed, her hair disheveled, and her shirt undone. The subtle rise and fall of her chest indicated she was still breathing and ultimately, still alive. That was the only relief Sasuke gained.

Miura walked back to her bed and with a light touch, soothed the pink strands away from her face, revealing beautiful doll-like features. "She really is beautiful isn't she." Miura cooed.

Sasuke was ready to break his hand for laying it on her. But he wondered why it took so long to do it, or even kill the bastard entirely.

"Just an f.y.i. - Sakura is mine, in case you haven't noticed." Miura sneered, "but seeing as you want her so much to be even facing me like this, I'll let you have one night with her."

_One night with her?_

"It was a very fortunate event meet you again Sasuke. I'll be on my way." And with that said he disappeared simply into a puff of black smoke.

The moment he was gone, Sasuke rushed to her side shaking her roughly by the shoulders. "Sakura! Wake up!" As he did so, black eyelashes fluttered open as she stared, wide eyed at her saviour. "What?" She breathed, still drowsy from her black out. Then her senses heightened and she gasped in terror, "what happened! Where is he! Where's Miura!"

Sasuke faltered, eyeing the night angrily, "he got away."

She looked up at him, eyes wide with fear and then scanned her bombsite of an apartment. "Did you fight him?" She gasped again, "Did he hurt you?"

"I'm alright. But you..." He sighed worriedly, "Are you... You alright? Did he..."

She stared at her sheets, eyes dazed and empty. Suddenly the overwhelming feeling of dread over came and she fought with the tears once again. "He was so close... he could have..." Clutching the material of shirt together to close the space over her chest, Sakura gave in to the first tear. And soon after the second one fell. "Next time, he will for sure..."

"He won't. I won't let him." He said watching as her tears became more forceful. "...I promise."

She wanted to talk, but only inaudible sounds were heard within her sobbing.

He stared at her with the utmost sincere expression that he could muster, it goes without a doubt that Sasuke was just as disturbed as she was. An exasperated sigh left his lips as he ran his pale fingers through the dark mess of his hair. He could have pulled a Shikamaru and sighed, 'how troublesome,' at that moment. Sasuke was adept to learning things best in experiences. His fight with Miura showed him the power firsthand. Despite still being in the dark about the demonic powers that held Sakura captive, he was genuinely worried for her. She as so small and so naive, but her will and determination outweighed her size.

With new found respect he set his pride down and spoke his mind. "I think you know my intentions now, Sakura."

She stopped enough to stare back at the Uchiha who lingered briskly by her bed. "What do you mean?"

"I _mean_," he stressed, "that you _indeed_ need help and despite your reluctance, I will help you. Regardless if you want it or not."

"But, _why?_"

"Because." He fought with himself, eyes narrowing, "because, I made a mistake."

Sakura drew a deep breath that sliced the dark air. "Can't you just get to the point, Sasuke?" She tried, helplessly to wipe each tear that fell, but failed to catch all of them.

Sasuke's eyebrows sank, angling his eyes that made him look frustrated. He drew a hand to her face and abruptly wiped a tear away with his thumb. Another one fell and he did the same. Puzzled, she glanced up at his face as the warmth of his hand captivated her skin.

"I don't want to see you cry anymore." He stated more harshly than sincerely.

To his surprise, Sakura batted his hand away and directed her attention away from the Uchiha. "Let's not complicate things right now."

"I made a mistake, Sakura. You have to understand that revenge will get you no where. The more you force it, the farther it will get away from you."

"And you're lecturing me? If I recall, you did the very same thing-"

"That's why I'm telling you now, so you don't fuck up like I did. I made a mistake. Regardless if I managed to kill my brother, he was half dead when I got to him already. And he wasn't even fucking guilty, and I based my whole life on killing an innocent man."

She had already heard all about the Uchiha tragedies but could say no more.

"I just want you to be smart about it, Sakura. Get help when you need it. Think things through. And stop being so damn stubborn."

Silently taking his words in, Sakura bit her lip for the problem at hand.

"Where did he go?" She said finding that the curse no longer had an effect in the presence of Sasuke.

"He gave me one night with you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think."

Sakura scoffed, zipping up her shirt. "Right. Well, thanks for stopping him tonight." _But I won't be safe tomorrow._

"Obviously, I'd stop him."

"Nobody told you to do that or me."

"I wanted to."

_Pft. _"I said we shouldn't get things complicated, Sasuke."

Suddenly, the Uchiha looked furious. "You just don't understand that I _have_ to help you. Okay? I've made it my business and I can't leave you alone!"

"Sasuke!"

"Be quiet! No matter how much I try to forget about you, I can't and it's fucking annoying. You're on my mind everyday, every damn second and I can't help it!" He threw a blow to the bed post and it snapped off with impact. Sakura watched his sudden display of emotion in stunned silence. "Ever since you came back, you ignored me and you never came to see me like you used to. I hated that and it confused me. And you left again and I was- Fuck I don't know. And then you came back again with that deranged mother fucker and you were fucking dating him!"

He took a moment to pause, to collect himself.

"But after Ino's party, you told me you hated him and I was... I was relieved." He sighed irritatedly pulling his hair back with his fingers. "And then the next thing I know, he's in your bed with you and I... I couldn't take that for a second. I snapped. I can't take that he hurts you, forces you, and upsets you. It makes me want to kill him on the spot... So if you would just tell me how to get rid of him, and by that I mean, tell me where that scroll is, we can end this."

When she opened her mouth to speak, Sasuke suddenly met his lips with hers. Kissing her deeply and forcefully. It was before she could react that he pulled her small frame against the core of his body. The strong arms wrapped themselves around her as her state of inhibition was released. He deepened the kiss, his eyes shut tight, imagining, absorbing that moment.

Now, it was up to her to decide what to do next.

* * *

r&r thanks


	22. Chapter 22

**Never Too Late**

In haste, Sakura swiftly put out the first set of guards lingering down at the base of the labrynth. All her years training as a medic ninja combined with her grace and speed in combat really came in handy this time around. It was close to pitch black in the corridor; probably as a mechanism to slow down foreign ninjas who wanted to steal Konoha's artifacts. And there was no doubt that the guards down here knew the place like the back of their hands. This darkness trained them to know the area without actually seeing so she had to be extra careful and highten her senses.

It was a week and a half later and she kept her distance from everyone. She couldn't take it right now but reassured herself the time to steal the scroll was nearing...She refused to see Sasuke and locked herself in her apartment as he haunted her, taunted her and took over her.

As she neared the scroll a pulse like sensation was felt in her arms. The scriptures were glowing dimly on her skin. The end of the corridor came into view with a small speck of a flame but it was enough to see the shadow of another guard.

Pulling out a syringe from her back pocket, she held it strategically ready to inject in the wink of surprise and put him out like the others. She braced herself: slowly Sakura edged herself closer and closer to the corner and then she would catch him off guard. However, she heard the familar sound...

"I know you're there! Quit being such a pussy and show yourself!" Naruto proclaimed. She should have known. Naruto wasn't like any other guard. Granted, she still used the shock factor to her advantage and sprung out to the blonde. The widening of his eyes did just the trick as she knew he wasn't expecting her.

"Sa-Sakura!" Almost clumsily he pulled kunai and dodged the powerful kick.

"I don't want to hurt you Naruto!" Sakura snapped. Just one scratch of her drug would be enough to put him to sleep. It was potent indeed, brewed from Tsunade's secret stash of almost banned substances.

"Sakura...!" Naruto tried again, a sad expression molded on his handsome face and it hurt her more than she thought. Close range wouldn't work, Naruto was way too good at that kind of combat. So she quickly brought a hand back to her back stash and expertly retrieved another set of potent senbon. With one in between each finger in a closed fist, Sakura threw the needles in a way that it would just be enough to scratch, not pierce his skin.

The blonde staggered back clutching the skin on his neck wondering what that sharp infliction was and soon he was on his knees. She caught him before he hit the cold stone floor and then set him down gently.

Looking up to see her prize, it sat there on a pedestal, strategically lit by two candles on either side of it. Smirking, Sakura stepped towards it and let out a small mocking laugh. Did Konoha think she was stupid? On the brick wall next to the fake, she put her ear up to the wall and tapped around until it was hallow. She drew her arm back and punched it hard enough to create a small opening where she reached her arm in a plucked the smaller, less dramatic version of the scroll. Suddenly, alarms started ringing and she knew that it was her que to get the fuck out of there.

Her speed matching now, what it felt like, her heartbeat was heard steadily in her ears. The pink haired kunoichi found another escape route that lead her to the closest exit nearing the village border. She shot out and dissapeared into the black forest.

By now a couple of ANBU were on her ass and she quickly created replicas to disperse then hid her chakra.

But Sasuke knew better. Why was she not surprised.

Sakura skid to a stop quite a distance away from Konoha now and secured the scroll in her back pocket anticipating the conflict coming her way. When he arrived, she knew she was staring into the eyes of a truly pissed off Uchiha. She never seen him so mad. Ever. Unexpectedly she felt a bubble of sadistic accomplishment in the pit of her stomach: how delightful, her actions actually made him_ feel_ something. Though anger wasn't something young Sakura wanted to pull out, it was good enough for her right now.

"I'm tired, Sasuke. I don't want to deal with it anymore... This shit about coming home isn't going to happen."

Sasuke gritted his teeth at the lack of emotion the pink haired girl was giving him, "So what, you're going to help him get stronger? So he could continue to torture you like he had for nine months already?"

She didn't say anything but instead summoned a burst of chakra to her fist and was now darting towards the boy with frightening speeds. This flow of anger erupted in realizing in her gut that he was right. "Shut up, Sasuke!" She hissed, throwing the fist, nearly missing him by a strand of his hair. "For your information, I'm fixing it. You're just getting in the way."

He caught her fist and threw her to a tree, locking her against it with his body as a barrier.

"I won't let you get away." Sasuke said with the usual annoyance in his voice.

"Why?" She mocked, "It is because you love me? I'm no stranger to your feelings Sasuke. Unfortunately for you, you missed your chance."

Now Sasuke, refused to let that be his conclusion. He felt his stomach churn and ache with the unsettling feeling that the girl he finally admitted to loving didn't love him anymore. And the onset of knowing his chance at being happy was dimming away... just like the jade orbs of her eyes which were now darkening with hate. He unknowingly dug his fingers into her arms as the pain of it tremored through her body.  
"Will you get off of me? She hissed, "Get off of me Sasuke!

In that instant, the boy lost all his inhibition and dropped his pride. He grabbed her small body and pull her against him in a tight embrace. She struggled under his strength and whimpered as he forced his lips onto hers. The boy was hoping that the kiss would wake something; something lost in her conscience. In shock she tried to scream and tear her body away but his agressiveness was starting to frighten her as he grabbed her tighter. As she continued to struggle it felt more of a locked cage than a hug.

"You stole the scroll from Konoha, Sakura! Do even you know what that means?" He declared.

"Says you, Sasuke!... Let me go!" Suddenly her body convulsed and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. In shock Sasuke shook her in desperate hopes to awaken her. A strange chakra filled the air darkening the atmosphere that made Sasuke scowl.

The ground started to light up in a pattern of a transmutation circle. The Uchiha shielded his eyes as the light burned his retinas. Blinking, he started to take notice of a darkended figure solidifying in the centre of the circle. "Miura..." he growled lowly.

"How did you guess?" The menacing voice echoed. "She did well, didn't she... Now it's time for us to go."

Sasuke's eyes widened. 'Go where?' His mind said first. The Uchiha growled and tried to jump towards Miura but the circle repelled him like a mosquito to a mosquito light lamp. He hit the ground more harshly than expected.

Miura laughed and then reached out an arm to levitate the unconscious girl. She rose off the ground and out of Sasuke grasp. The Uchiha shook in what one might make out as fear. Unable to stop her from levitating towards the strange man, his arm shot out and grabbed her wrist stopping her in the magnetic pull. He chanted in his head, 'come back, please, come back to me...!' With another burst of energy Miura ruthlessly pulled her out of Sasuke hold and the boy swore.

Sakura's smaller frame met with Miura's body with an abrupt stop. It was enough to wake her. In a daze she turned around to see Sasuke on his knees, his eyes pleading. She realized now that Miura had his arm around her waist and was muttering a prayer. She screeched. "Here! Take it!" Sakura reached into her pouch and pressed the scroll harshly to Miura's chest and then struggled to get out of his hold. However his grasp only strengthed.

"Let go! Did you hear me? I brought you the scroll now go away forever!"

His chest shook with a laugh. "This is about the hundreth time you've believed me, Sakura. How can you be so foolish?"

Sakura tensed, eyes wide in fear, "W-What do you mean!"

There was wind now from an identified source but it only blew in proximity of the circle. Peeking from beneath her lashes she saw Sasuke yelling something to her but she couldn't hear what he was saying. The whistles of the harsh winds deafened her. Miura's eyes remained closed and she realised this was the last part of the spell.

The realization struck her like a baseball to a bat. Miura was taking her with him!

She began to struggle visciously, thrashing in Miura's arms. "Let go! LET GO!" She thanked God for lucky shots as she punched him with the full strength of her chakra and he was sent flying through 10 trees over. The lights and the wind of the circle came to a stop and she fell to the ground, landing gracefully on her tippy toes.

"Sasuke! " She called as she ran over to him. He was breathing heavily at the sight of everything. When she came into arms reach his own arms shot out and took her by the shoulders. He basically yelled into her face: "I fucking told you he was going to take you away from me! How can you be so fucking irresponisble!" In complete shock, Sakura stared at him as he rambled on and this was by far the most emotion she had seem from him ever.

Then her eyes softened and dulled. Everything around her went quiet as he continued to yell but her mind shut down to only hear her thoughts. 'He must really really love me...' She realized while looking at his emotion filled face. In his fit of hysteria it looked like he was going to snap. 'He was worried sick...wasn't he.' Seeing this display of emotion on Naruto was something so normal, yes. But on Sasuke?

Sakura snapped back to reality and the last of his rant was heard as, "...I thought I was going to lose you!" He growled and swore again. She was at a loss for words.

But there was no time to react for Miura bounced back to the scene in no time. Both her and Sasuke got into a defense stance.

"Hmph." Miura snided. There wasn't a smirk on his face this time and the pink haired girl knew she was in one hell of a predicament. Sasuke activated his sharingan and pulled the rosette behind him in a possessive mannor: "Stand back," he ordered.

Miura rubbed his jaw and spit out deep crimson. Sakura couldn't help but smirk. That one punch was like an instant release and he sure as hell deserved it. What Miura didn't know was that when she punched him in his jaw, she had jammed a couple of poisoned senbon into his back... which probably was why he was reaching back there feeling the pain and the poison. Under furrowed pink brows, she assessed the area while Sasuke was assessing him. The scroll layed in the dirt a few meters away and she knew all she needed to do was draw the circle, read the scripture and send him back... but the hard part was keeping Miura still.

"Sasuke," She whispered, "I've weakened him with some poison. All you need to do is keep him still while I send him back."

The Uchiha smirked, "You don't have to tell me twice." And in an instant, Sasuke ignited his chidori and charged towards the demon. Immediately, Sakura charged in the other direction reaching the scroll and grabbing onto it like life. Miura, however was quick and sent a jolt towards her that caused her to fly back, hard into a tree.

Sakura let out a loud yelp as she flew back. Sasuke seeing this, managed to break Miura's right wrist. "Are you alright?" Sasuke called to her and in a response he saw her try to get up and grab a sharp rock in the process. She then got on all fours, stabbed the ground with the rock and began drawing a circle.

'Come on...' She urged, 'just distract him a little longer, Sasuke!'

Sakura had seen the circle a couple of times. She had heard of these transmutations- a form of forbidden jutsu to revive the dead or to travel throughout dimensions. She only needed to see it a couple times to copy it into the soil.

As she was finishing the larger circle, Miura managed to get another chance at striking the female a couple more times. She tumbled back, coughing as dust filled her lungs. "Fuck." The rosette tried to crawl back to her spot to complete the shape but found it it increasingly more difficult as her injuries were settling and it wasn't like she had time to sit and heal herself either.

"Don't give up Sakura...!" She told herself. Her jade eyes looked upwards to the fight and realized that Sasuke was just holding him off and that even he couldn't totally defeat him on his own. She took a few more breaths readying herself at the next shapes. Stabbing the ground again, she lulled her arms to follow her body creating another set of circles and triangles. Needing to get to the other side of the large circle, she crawled across the diameter but then met with the hard smack of Sasuke crashing into her and the both of them rolled off the dirt into the shrubbery. Miura looked like he was now the winning opponent.

Sasuke's head was on her abdomen as he got up and turned around to look at the kunoichi he fell onto. She was knocked out, now unconscious. "Fuck!" He yelled in frustration. For one, he indirectly hurt her and second, he needed her to finish the circle. "Sakura! Wake up!" His eyes were wide and his voice was rough. As Miura neared he vowed to keep him away from her and tackled the demon. She awoke slowly after clutching her tummy as it throbbed. But she knew what was needed to be done. Lulling her body to move she crawled out again, coughing blood onto the dirt as she did so.

But she couldn't help joking in the moment: "Fuck Sasuke... I'm not your opponent, he is." She smirked still clutching the space beneath her breasts.

Sasuke frowned, throwing a punch to the demon's jaw. "There's a time..." Miura aimed a kick at Sasuke's head and dogded it, "...and a place, Sakura."

She disregarded his dry statement and went on to finish the transmutation circle. A long couple of minutes later the circle was complete and she triumphantly announced it to the boy.

"Now to just keep him still..." The prodigy said to himself. Sasuke threw Miura to the center of the circle and expertly threw kunais through his shoulders and hands to keep him pinned to the ground. "Now Sakura!"

She got to her feet and began reading the scripture; it was an ancient folklore. A story to be exact. After the second sentence the both of them realized that nothing was happening and Miura was wriggling loose! A violent cough erupted from her throat and blood spewed from her lips coincidently landing in the circle...The circle lit up and started pulsing.

'It needs blood..?' Sasuke questioned skeptically. But already Sakura was in the circle, determination written so strongly on her features, she was willing to meet death face to face.

And then she grabbed her kunai.

'Sakura, don't...' Sasuke looked on in horror as she raised the blade. "Sakura! What are you doing! STOP!"

And the instant she drove the blade into her stomach, Sasuke felt like his own life had ended.

She fell to the ground, a pool of blood spilling from her abdomen and Sasuke ran towards her. He tried recklessly to break through the light barrier but it did no justice. 'Not again...' Sasuke grieved, 'Not again!'

"Wake up Sakura! You can't die on me...not before me, you're not supposed to..." He looked on past the light, passed the wind and the pastel strands that were blown over her face. Her lips were moving... slowly but surely. She was still alive! He couldn't hear what she was saying over Miura's cursing and the violent winds but he could put a large sum of his money on the fact that she was reading the folklore.

But that would mean that she was going to where ever Miura was headed. His heart started beating rapidly and his body trembled knowing now that a place without Sakura was not a place that he wanted to be.

Sasuke slit his wrists and then found it easy to walk into the circle. He was going with her. He didn't give fuck where they were going, he just needed to be with her; with the love of his life. With that established, he knelt down and kissed her on the forhead as she read the last words.


	23. Chapter 23

**Never Too Late**

The colours began hazing behind her eyelids. The colours mixing into each other like a stream of chocolate pouring into a pool of cream. It wasn't later until she realized a sound resonating off the walls of her brain. It was a low stern voice; an almost familiar sound. She couldn't quite pin point why it was so hot- where ever she was, but the sensation was so overwhelming it caused beads of sweat to roll off her lashes from her forehead on to her cheeks.

'You're annoying...' He said.

Her lashes flickered open and the sound of her gasp echoed off the walls.

"Sasuke?"

She sat up, arms weak and her body heavy. "...Sasuke?" She tried again. Suddenly a jolt of pain nestled in the pit of her stomach but there was no wound, no blood, just pain. She endured the unsettling sensation in her abdomen and ventured out of the dark room, sliding the thin doors open to discover a boardwalk leading to other different rooms.

If she didn't know better, this estate resembled that of the Uchiha residence. The night was cold. The cold air bit at her cheeks as she tiptoed timidly down the hallway towards the brightest room. The sweat, now cold droplets, rolled down her neck with a cool trail.

She needed an answer. She wanted to know what happened to Miura and how she ended up here!

The rosette's steps quickly broke out into a fast jog. Her feet frozen from running on the frost coated wood. She clutched her shirt tightly to her body as if this simple act would prevent even further heat loss but shivered nonetheless. As she neared the glowing door, light shining through the paper shield, Sakura reached out a hand and threw it open.

She lingered in the doorway for a second, faltering as she met the posterior figure of a man. He was rolling bandages over his wrists. The red was seeping through still but he was persistent.

"Sasuke," She started, "What happened? Where are we?"

"Shut the door." Came the reply and she followed suit, sliding the door shut and feeling satisfied with the closed sounding tap.

As the fireplace glowed iridescent flames, the warmth was alluring. His silhouette clung strikingly to the wall as each spike of his hair emphasized the size. She was ready to confront him. Her inner demons.

"Has Miura been delta with?" Sakura asked almost innocently. She heard a grunt seeing as he was losing the red stained battle and was justified by a frustrated Uchiha continuing to wrap and wrap and wrap...

She shook her head disapprovingly: "Sasuke, that's not how you do it. Here let me take a look at it." The rosette dared to venture deeper towards her ex-teammate and with no discretion took a seat next time him on the mat in front of the fireplace. Scrutinizing the bandages, the pink eyebrows furrowed realizing the damage. She unwound the fabric until it reached the floor in a hill of red and white. Finally their eyes met and she was greeted by a softer looking Sasuke, one that didn't seemed to be burdoned by intense emotions and feelings of loneliness and self-loathing. Sakura sighed, "I don't know what's going on...one moment I was drawing the circle and you were...you were..." She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but her mind was slipping into a dreamy like rest.

I can't sleep yet...

"These don't look like injuries Sasuke, they're self inflicted!" Her worried green eyes rose up to meet him again, but he shielded his eyes by the midnight curtains of his hair. "Sasuke, what happened? Tell me, please?"

She was greeted by silence; the sound of it pounding in her ears with the additional crackling of the fire. Tearing her eyes away from his shielded face, she once again scrutinized the cuts on his wrists. "You see," Sakura breathed, "You have to try to heal it...not just cover it up and hoping it would go away."

"I know." He said finally.

"You know?" She tilted her head, eyebrows furrowing deeper than before, "If you know then why are you trying to wrap-"

"You don't know, Sakura. You don't understand yet."

The rosette was more confused. "What are you talking about?"

And then she realized: You can't keep covering it up and hope that it will go away on its own. That's all she's been doing. Sakura had been trying to deal with something that was beyond her, enabling a false sense of reassurance that if she handled Miura herself, then she could save the others. But in reality, the wounds just got more infected with the dirt she was burying it with.

He took her static features as an indication that she had struck realization. It would spare him the commentary. Uchiha Sasuke was never a man of words anyway.

"Do you see now?" he asked, facing her.

She nodded subtly, "I get it. But you..."

"There's no point in interrogating me either. I woke up here and my wrists were bleeding." The Uchiha stood up and scanned the room while she sat there contemplating: "so Miura's out there somewhere..."

"Possibly."

It was an empty room, the contents of it minimized. There was a fireplaces, a mat and some folded blankets in the corner. A basic room in the Uchiha house. The eggshelled walls were casted in a glowy orange from the fire. Her hands glowed in a mint tint as the flesh mended itself back together. Sasuke couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief as the cooling sensation numbed the pain and the hurting subsided. He had to give her props though, she just proved to him how skilled a medic she was.

"Thanks." He muttered and began to contemplate what felt better: being painless or the feeling of relief.

How frustrating, she had no recollection of the previous events, how she ended up here and why. Sasuke seemed just as oblivious. It wasn't a matter of having her cake and eating it, she just never had the fucking cake in the first place. Slowly the rosette came to terms with her situation and stood up to initiate her leave.

"Where are you going?" Came the immediate reply from the only other person.

Just as she was about to touch the door, she turned around and replied, "Stay here Sasuke, you're injured, let me go out and gather some information so we can get out of here." Sliding open the door fiercely she leapt out of the door.

A few moments later, Sasuke let out what seemed like a sigh and ignored her knowing that she'd be back in no time. Sure enough, a disgruntled Sakura came faltering back into the room, the look of confusion settling on her pretty face.

"It just goes around in a circle!" She panted, "No matter where I go I end back here!"

Sasuke smirked, "yeah, I kinda had a feeling that would happen." She took a seat next to him and pulled her knees up to her chest in a gesture of defeat.

"It looks like whoever brought us here doesn't want us to leave," She said and he thought it too. "Do you think its a trap, Sasuke? Do you think Miura brought us here?"

Sasuke glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and noticed that now that her guard was dropping (signified by the increase of her questioning). It was a very child-like Sakura reappearing before him. The girl he knew before her parents died, before he left her. He sat in silence for a moment contemplating again what should have, could have, and would have been...

"I think its a trap... but not in the sense that you're thinking. I don't sense Miura here at all so I suppose we escaped him, for a while anyway."

"But if Miura's not involved then what do you think is going on? Are we in a genjutsu illusion?" Her face fell.

"Its possible... whatever's sustaining this illusion is most strongest here, containing us in this room, which probably explains why we're looped back here if we try to leave."

When Sasuke was met with silence, he glanced down at the girls beside him. She was clutching her abdomen in pain. Sweat was dripping off her forhead as she struggled to keep her composure. However that failed when a grunt of pain erupted from her throat as well as blood that splattered onto the hardwood floor.

"Are you alright?" The startled Uchiha asked. He wanted to help but didn't know how. His arm lingered in air close to her body as if he was in the midst of reach for her back to rub and sooth the pain. But he stopped himself, retracting the arm back into his personal space.

"I-I'm okay...! It's probably just some internal bleeding." She said forcing a not-too-reassuring smile. Still clutching her abdomen, Sakura retrieved a handkerchief out of her back pouch and cleaned up the blood. The Uchiha watched in silent dismay. "Does... does it hurt a lot?" He could have hit himself for asking such a primary question but that was as far as he could go in terms of helping.

"It comes and goes," the rosette replied, still holding the area. "It's like someone stabbed me right here. There's no bleeding or tearing it just really hurts."

Sasuke stood up suddenly and walked towards the fireplace where he threw a new block of wood in. When he came back, he sat in his signature Sasuke-like pose; elbow on his knees and hands set sternly in front of his face. "I think we need to talk."

The jade eyes looked on curiously. Talk? Sasuke wanted to talk with her?

"S-sure." She stuttered, "What do we need to talk about?"

It was like Miura never existed, everyone else was irrelevant. The frightful memories were at bay and all that existed was the world that they owned, right there in that room. They talked about Konoha, Naruto, her family, his family. The lives each of them left behind to seek revenge. They talked about what they saw and experienced when Sasuke ran to Orochimaru, she talked about how Miura held her captive for 8 months. There was no such thing as time and the sun never rose. It was continuously night where they were. Even though there were no windows within the room, they could tell that the air outside the room was dark and it was always going to be. The space between them closed as their conversation hit deeper levels... the subject at hand was going to present itself.

Sasuke watched as she spoke. How come he never noticed it before; she he was beautiful.

It took a few glances at each other to gain the confirmation that they were in fact talking to each other. There was a drawn out silence, almost awkward but not quite because they had already began to form some kind of bond. The bond easily made by two people, guards down, opening themselves up in return to be healed. And that's what it was.

He needed to heal. She needed to heal.

And they needed each other to be okay.

I want to ask you something, Sasuke.

They were open to each other so he let her poke at his mind, `What is it.``

I want to know if you loved us, like how we loved you. Naruto and I, we wanted you to come home so bad when you left. All we could do wait and wait and i have to admit that it became so frustrating to wait for someone who never seemed to want to come home." Her eyes fell to the ground and felt the conversation take a spin towards an awkward route. "I mean, sorry. I meant that we missed you in a sense that it was the only drove to work harder... become stronger and to get smarter... so we could get you back. Bring you home." She had only started to realize herself that a tear had fallen and cursed her soul to have caught it before it fell.

She sniffed and wiped her tear. "My bad," she defended. "I didn't meant to..."

"I know." He said.

"I'm just saying that when my parents died... I couldn't have understood better. Like I had an idea, but the amount of pain this life gives us is unbearable. It`s so hard and unfair. And I realize that I just want to be happy and forget." She was whispering now. If even possible it felt like they were going deeper into the night. "It's so hard to love somebody in this kind of life."

"I know," he said again. And her head jerked slightly towards him but she stopped herself and smiled softly: "We love you Sasuke."

He found her hand and held it tight, not romantically but in a sign of acceptance. That was good enough for her right now.

They both turned back to the fire and the room grew hotter and hotter, the flame bigger and bigger.

Sasuke... she breathed. The lack of oxygen was suffocating her and soon the walls were on fire. She hadn`t noticed it had gotten so large and spread so quickly. There was no escape but there was a certain telling that the illusion was ending. He held her hand tight and before the colours of orange and yellow and dark grey started hazing in front of her eyes, she looked at him and he smiled back at her.

Darkness won the battle and soon there was no more wooden room, no fire and no Sasuke.

Just pitch black.

But then... she heard words. Words she didn`t understand. There were getting slower and drearier as if the very nature of reading it was taking the life away.

The sound of it was familiar. Like it was... her own voice.

It began to get hot again. The pain in her abdomen increased 10 fold and in an instant the colours came rushing back. She opened her eyes and caught herself from saying the last word of the mantra. In front over her was Sasuke, wrists bleeding. It took a moment to realize where she was but when she saw a frightening looking Miura pinned to the ground in the transmutation circle they were all in, it finally clicked.

The circle was still glowing and the winds were furious with her. It was still night and the deep, dark forest surrounding was menacing.

Sasuke had lost a lot of blood. Clutching her abdomen she ignored the pain, hoisting Sasuke over her head and onto her shoulders. She roughly threw them out of the circle. It was all she could manage right now.

Miura screeched and cursed. "Get back here you brat! You`re coming back with me!"It was that and many more profanitic words. She would only ignore them.

Seizing the scroll, Sakura regained her balance and clutched the paper accidently, smearing blood where her fingers gingerly touched it. The rosette read the last word and a huge beam of light exploded from the circle and just like that... Miura was gone forever.


	24. Chapter 24

**Never Too Late**

**.**

Before Sakura opened her eyes that morning, she felt along the surface of the material and was surprised when she didn't feel any grass or dirt. The pain in her abdomen was numb, the scabbing of the wound stiffened her tummy. Dark lashes finally opened, reveiling brightening jade eyes that slowly let the light in. By the way the walls were lit up in a yellow bright light, she realized that morning had already come.

Scanning the room slowly the rosette established that she had been dragged back to Konoha sometime after she had passed out again.

Her eyes wondered around the room towards the dresser as she thought about how she managed to seal Miura way forever. It had been lucky that she had awoken right on time and caught her tongue before they transported to wherever Miura was from. But she clicked her tongue at the feeling that she had metaphorically went somewhere else. Sakura reached her hand up towards the ceiling testing her mobility but also, pushing the thought to the back of her head, to see if she was indeed real.

She wiggled her fingers in the air and when she stretched far enough that she felt the wound reopen the shock of pain, she pulled her arm back in and nodded to herself. 'Yup, it's real.'

There was a bed next to her and in it was a sleeping Sasuke with blood soaked bandages around his wrists.

* * *

A month after sending Miura away, Sakura had just survived a slew of dreadful meetings with Tsunade and the village council. Sakura was almost exiled but was allowed to stay because in some twisted turn of events she become Konoha's hero. You see, Sakura abandoned Konoha for 8 months, disrespected Tsunade when she finally came back, broke into the labrynth and stole the artifact. However, Sakura saved them all from Miura. Sakura's parents had died trying to retrieve that scroll. But it was their daughter in the end who finished the job of sending one of the biggest threats since the Pain terror away. Tsunade summed up the whole ordeal by saying: "Well a ninja's job is never clean and trustworthy, but Sakura you're still the best medic this village has ever seen so you'll get 2 weeks probation and a bottle of sake. Congrats."

The last couple weeks, post-hospital was an emotional-rollercoaster. She didn't know how at feel at all mainly because she was spared from leaving village, her home and all those who accepted her back. She reflected much on what could have happened if Miura had won the battle and often found herself bursting into uncontrollable tears of fear but then tears of relief and happiness came shortly after.

Sakura just needed to focus; to focus on being happy, focus on friends and focus on life. Because she never gave her life credit it at all. She was willing to sacrifice her life before, but now she was so greatful to have it all back.

She had seen Ino the other day. And the blonde was this close to throwing a Yay-Sakura's-not-getting-kicked-out-of-the-village-party. Sakura felt she didn't deserve a party. She was a hero in their eyes but she knew she wronged them in so many ways as well.

When she saw Naruto that morning, she had never hugged anyone harder. She had never apologized that much in her life. She never wanted to let him go.

He was the last of her family.

They sat by the river bank and talked all morning until Naruto was due for his mission. They hugged goodbye and she made him promise that he would come back unharmed. Naruto always kept his promise, she knew that for a fact. He was stable, consistant, and something she needed to regulate herself in. She needed security, she needed that someone who was going to be there for her no matter what. And seeing him in all his blonde heroic glory with the river glistening behind him in the sun, the greenest grass at his feet, and the warm breeze in his hair, she knew she didn`t deserve him, not right now. But Naruto was selfless and he loved her just as she loved him. They were a family.

Lingering in the space bewteen her sheets and the mattress, Sakura combed the pink strands with her fingers and watched cherry blossom petals fall through her window and onto he bedroom floor. It was a romantic sight to see. And she chuckled to herself knowing she had yet to face one more person. She had set the hot mug of tea moments before on her night stand but left it to cool as she got lost again in her jumbled thoughts. It was midday and she was in her bed, an oversized white t-shirt draped her slim body. She knew she was supposed to get up and face whatever it was but comfort made her lag.

Right now, she just wanted to enjoy what she had. To live simply, she concluded, was a skill.

The breeze lulled her to nap for an hour or so. When she awoke, the rosette thought that maybe she should put a little more into her look today.

Donning a red kimono, Sakura threw her hair to one shoulder and smoothed out any knots with her brush. She dabbed a bit of pink lip gloss to her pout and sweeped the mascara wand through her lashes a few rosette pulled her brown slimming boots on and proceeded to leave her apartment.

She walked around the village for a half an hour and then found herself at Sasuke doorstep. Before she could even knock, the door was already open and he was looking at her skeptically.

She smiled.

"So Sasuke, how about a date?"

If she was 12 again, she would be doing back flips. She knew he didn't care what they did so she proposed a movie and then dinner at the restaurant where they had their first date. They walked along the boardwalk when the sun began to set and the lanterns turned on one by one.

She requested that maybe tomorrow they could go fishing, and asked why he liked tomatoes so much and why he did his hair like that but she stopped herself and reassured him: "don't change your hair though, I love it like that. I always did."

Sakura asked him what his favourite colour was, what he dreamed of wanting to be when he was young, and if Sasuke was happy.

He then asked her to move him with him.

For a little bit she was shocked and then she smiled and nodded.

That night, she layed next to him in his bed. They had already fallen asleep, his arm over her waist protectively. Her back to his chest, and even though he was sleeping the scent of cherries lingered around his nose as he burried his face in her silky pink hair.

Sakura had never told him about her dream. The one about them talking in front of the fire in the wooden room but she knew deep down he knew.

When the sun rose that morning, they laid in bed; both as comfortable as they had been in their entire lives because nothing could be better.

Soon it was noon and she lulled him to get up because errands had to be done. They had stepped out into the sun, the lights warming their skin and it was then that she kissed him. A small peck on the lips and then a small smile was seen, on both of them.

In the market place they held hands as Sakura examined a ripe red tomato and dropped it in a bag amongst a few others.

Sakura smiled at him and squeezed his hand. And he said, "I love you."

**The End.**


End file.
